Resting On The Workbench

Move. Move. Move.

Go. Go. Go.

Get to where you need to go and get there fast!

Born and raised in the U.S.A., these mottos have been implanted deeply in to my mind. I never thought that I was one of those people who had to be accomplishing things in order to feel good about myself. But, it turns out, I place a lot of my self-worth in the things I accomplish.

Looking back, it seems I have lived my life project to project; measuring my life by things accomplished.

I work hard to get things done. For what? So that I would have another badge on my mental merit wall, another trophy in my case of things I have done? Or does it go deeper than that; am I working just to prove that I measure up?

I have found that this mentality has been with me for most of my life and has even followed me onto the mission field. Though I say I am working for the Lord, I still feel I must keep a “to-do” list of things I need to accomplish. I have to prove to everyone that I can be in this ministry. If I am honest, I would even say I am trying to prove to God that I can do this work.

Key word: "I”.

Recently, while at a missions retreat, a phrase was mentioned in passing that caught my attention and got me to thinking. Four words, “. . . resting on the workbench”.

We as Christians sometimes use the woodcarver as a metaphor for God working in our lives. He cuts and shapes us, carving away what is not needed to bring out the shape He desires. As the knife moves, we become what the Carver wants.

In this whole process, where is the wood? Better yet, what does the wood do? There is only one thing for the wood to do.

Rest.

Where does the wood rest?

On the workbench!

I have tried so hard to prove myself, trying to take shape on my own. I work harder and faster trying to be useful on my own terms. I try to prove to my Maker that “I can”.

The truth is, I really can’t. Not on my own, anyway.

Sometimes God calls us to a time of waiting. During this time we often get very uncomfortable. We can think of a thousand things that need to be done. We make lists of thing that we need to do as soon as we can get going again. But the simple truth is this: if we would just take the waiting time to rest on His workbench, we would be accomplishing so much more that our feeble self-efforts ever could. Time spent on His workbench is never wasted.

I sometimes need to be reminded that my God is in control. He is working even when I am not. He who knew me before I was born knows what He is making of my life. I just need to relax and let the Carver do His work. You see, only when the wood rests on the workbench can the Master Carver do His work.

Let Him turn the wood as He wishes, let His tools move and do their work. In the end He will bring out everything He intended to.

I can move and go and try to work on a thousand different projects at once, but in the end I know what I will find: I can never accomplish more than when I allow myself to rest on the workbench.

Nate