God's Cosmic Anvil - Shared

I just read a really good blog by L.A. Marzulli and wanted to share it.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:5
We just don’t wake up on a Monday morning and suddenly find ourselves walking with and in these attributes.  This is where the anvil and forge come in to play.
In some ways we are literally pounded into shape on Gods “cosmic” anvil.  We are re-made, into the image and likeness of the risen savior, Jesus.  We never reach perfection and this process continues throughout our Christian walk, but we are certainly in the process of being perfected and as Paul tells us, one day we will know as we are known. 
In the meantime we are taught by the Spirit of the Living God.  Jesus tells us:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14: 26
How do we go from being self obsessed, selfish people into the image and likeness of our risen Savior?  The Spirit of the Living God gives us a glimpse of who we are, with our sin nature in tact.  This is when we are placed on the anvil.  Then He begins to reshape us.  Sometimes it can take years to mold a man or a women into what He wants us to be.  The process can be painful at times.  It can also leave us feeling defeated, hopeless and wondering if the reshaping will ever end.  The good news is, The Master Craftsman knows what He is doing.  He knows where to apply the hammer to shatter old concepts or old thinking patterns.  He knows when to turn up the heat in order to soften us so He can then reshape us.  He knows when to plunge us into a cold bath, to wake us up from the delusion of sin.
This process takes years and is not something that man or woman can create in him or herself.  It is done by the God’s Spirit, and the fruits of it are listed in the Galatians chapter above.
Don’t be afraid of the anvil in God’s Forge, for He is a Master craftsman and in the end He will produce an incredible work in us!
Shared from - http://lamarzulli.wordpress.com/2014/12/14/sunday-go-to-meeting-bun-119/