But by the grace of God I am what I am, and this grace to me was
not without effect. I Corinthians 15:10

The old automobile had been restored and looked showroom new. It
had not been easy…pounding, sanding, painting, waxing,
polishing…and if the scrutineer looked too closely, he would see
that there were still some unfinished parts.

The apostle Paul, looking back over his life and assessing who he
had been and the differences that had been wrought, knew that the
only one Source for that handiwork was the God Himself. From a
rigid Pharisee to a missionary with grace woven throughout his
life, the Lord had crafted a new man. Persecutions, shipwrecks,
stoning and more were part of God's plan to mold Paul into the
tool most useful for His purposes.

Sometimes allowing the Lord to remake you can hurt. Certainly
it's not comfortable. And there are doubtless some unfinished
parts. But by His grace, you are becoming what is most effective
for His use. As you pray for your own transformation, intercede
for the others who are going through the same pounding and
polishing…especially those in our government and military…that
they would become "showroom new" in Him.