A bit ago I was trying to replace a sink and vanity at a townhouse my wife and I were trying to sell.  Oh, that’s easy you say, just buy the parts and replace the old sink and vanity with the new ones.  Yes, it would be easy, if the original plumbing wasn’t installed by drunk monkeys.

A process that should have taken a handful of hours turns into the Israelites wandering in the wilderness.  Only instead of traveling in circles in the desert, my circles are going to Home Depot and back.  I went four times.  And three the day before that.

If you’ve ever looked underneath a sink you’ll see the drain pipe directly underneath go neatly to the back wall.  But in this townhouse instead of going 8 inches back to the closest wall, it goes two and a half feet sideways, to the side wall. The side wall. So remember what I said about drunk monkeys?  And don’t even get me started on their union.

This set up, coupled with me never doing anything like this before, caused a host of problems. I had to cut a hole into the side of the vanity so the drain pipe could travel through it, but I cut it in the wrong spot. When I realized this, out of anger, I blurted out something out something I shouldn’t have said.   I used the name of Oprah in vain.

Of course God is trying to teach me patience with this sink. God’s goal isn’t to make life as easy as possible.  To spend the least amount of time working on a project.  Clearing out all obstacles.

God uses everyday items, everyday situations, everyday relationships to grow us.  We just need to see it. We need to see God’s work in sink repair, in car troubles, in losing your keys, in traffic, in waiting in line.

God’s goal is the growth of our faith, not to have perfect plumbing, to have financial security, or cars that never break down. So what are the everyday items, situations and relationships that God is using in your life today to grow you? And if it happens to be the drunk monkey plumbers union, tell them I have forgiven them and am praying for their salvation.

JAS 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Take Time to Pray: Ask God for wisdom to see how He’s growing you.