We Only See The Scaffolding

Recently my neighbor was working on the siding and eves of his house.  He put scaffolding around the house so he could safely and efficiently work on the siding and eves.  The scaffolding stayed up for several months because he worked on the house after his regular day job.  The scaffolding not only hid the excellent work that was being done but, also, made the house look unkempt with tools and material hanging from the scaffolding.  The neighbors could see through the scaffolding and noticed the scrapping of old paint along with the replacing of old boards.  In his wonderful book, Monk Habits for Everyday People, Dennis Okholm used such an analogy to remind us that God is at work in our lives much like my neighbor used the scaffolding to work on his house. Most of one's life all we can see is the scaffolding.  However, when our life is completed, the scaffolding comes down and we will see the result of the work that God has been doing all along.  That will be heavenly.