Many years ago, while walking in a city suburb, I came across an open shed where workmen were busy. Near the door, a man stood by a large, irregular stone, using a chisel and mallet to knock off pieces. My curiosity was piqued as I watched him break chunks from the stone, seemingly with no purpose.
The man continued chipping away at the stone, first with larger tools, then with smaller ones, yet I saw only destruction. He switched tools occasionally, but the work appeared random and aimless, leaving me to wonder what the final outcome would be.
I watched for a long time, still wondering, until the sculptor made a few quick strokes, revealing the outline of a lion’s head. With more precise cuts, the head became life-like, followed by the appearance of paws, and soon the entire figure emerged. What had seemed like aimless destruction was actually the skilled work of a sculptor.
What I had seen as a mere block of stone, he had envisioned as a lion. The seemingly purposeless work now revealed its intent: the discarded pieces were just waste material concealing the beautiful statue within.
I knew now that what would be left of the stone after the sculptor had completed his work would go to adorn some fine building and to be looked upon and admired by many people. No one had admired it in its former state. It was a block of stone but was transformed into a thing of beauty to be treasured. That change could take place only when the sharp steel had smitten away all useless parts.
I walked away thoughtful, recognizing a powerful allegory of life. The great Sculptor sees potential in every Christian, even when we can only see the rough exterior. Though man was created in God’s image, sin has obscured that likeness.
To restore it, the divine Sculptor must use the sharp chisel of affliction, disappointment and trial. These hardships may seem destructive and unfair, causing some to cry out in pain or rebel against God. Yet, through this painful process, the Master Sculptor is carving His image into our nature and character.
You want to be in his image, do you not? You desire the beautiful lines of holiness, purity, truth, meekness, faithfulness, and kindness to appear in you. You want to be a part of the adornment of the heavenly temple. If you would be not a mere block of stone without form or beauty, but the image of the Creator—then you must let affliction do her work sculpting on you—that is only one way. Christian character comes only through affliction. If you shrink and murmur or if you rebel—then your character may be marred forever.
Do not think God will let your life be ruined. He wants you for the adornment of his palace. So when affliction comes—the pain of sorrow, of bereavement, of temporal loss, of being reproached and having your name cast out as evil, of being wounded by the tongue of slander—in whatever form affliction comes to you, hold still; bear it patiently; it will work out in your life God’s great design!
Would you have patience? Then you must have many things to try your patience.
Would you have meekness? You can obtain it only through endurance.
Would you have faith? You must meet and overcome many obstacles.
Our graces and virtues can be brought to view in the solid structure of Christian character—only by long and continued chiseling. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Peter 4:12). “Which IS to try you.” It does not say which “may” try you or ‘probably’ try you; it says, “Which IS to try you.” That signifies that it was intended to try you. It was meant for that purpose; it does not come by accident.
Trials are necessary. If you are ever to be what God wants you to be—then you need trials, you must have them; you can never be strong or patient or meek or brave or possess any other virtue God wants you to have—unless you stand the test. “For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.” (Psalm 66:10) It is God that does the trying. “After you have suffered a while,” Peter says, God will “make you perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”
The chisel pain must do its work. Even Jesus was “made perfect through suffering.” Let us bear it joyfully knowing it will leave its mark upon us, even the mark of our Lord Jesus Christ. It will bring out the beauty and richness of a Christian life and fit us to be in His presence forever.
Charles Wesley Naylor is considered one of the most prolific and inspiring songwriters of the Church of God. He was bedridden for much of his adult life but wrote eight books, a newspaper column and over 150 songs. Many of his writings are in the public domain.
