Michelangelo’s statue of David was carved from a twelve-ton block of marble that many artists at the time considered unusable. In fact, the stone sat abandoned for forty years before Michelangelo ever picked up his tools. Yet from what others dismissed as flawed and unfinished came one of the greatest masterpieces the world has ever seen.
There’s a legend that when people asked Michelangelo how he created something so beautiful from such rough stone, he responded: “I simply chipped away everything that didn’t look like David until only he remained.”
I was at StoneBridge recently and noticed a little book sitting on the shelf by Kevin Burrell about the gospel life and birds. Naturally, my curiosity got the best of me, so I ordered it. Somewhere along the way, I have now collected three bird books, and my husband is becoming slightly concerned that my casual interest in birdwatching may be escalating into a full personality trait.
But tucked inside this lovely little book was this truth I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
Because I think this is often how God works, not only in us personally, but in the work He is building through us together.
God sees things differently than we do. Where people see limitations, unfinished places, exhaustion, obstacles, or even weakness, God sees purpose. He sees what He is forming over time.
And often, His process is slow, intentional, and refining.
Hebrews 12 reminds us that God disciplines those He loves, and John 15 tells us He prunes branches so they can bear more fruit. Pruning is rarely comfortable, but it is always purposeful.
I think leadership, ministry, and serving families can feel like that sometimes too.
There are moments where God chips away at pride, fear, self-reliance, distraction, hurry, or comfort so that something more beautiful can emerge greater dependence on Him, deeper compassion, stronger unity, clearer purpose, and a ministry that reflects Jesus more fully.
And most of that transformation does not happen in giant moments.
It happens through small daily acts of obedience.
The next faithful phone call.
The extra conversation.
The prayer before the meeting.
The hard conversation handled with grace.
The unseen task done with excellence.
The decision to remain faithful when no one else sees it.
This mission is not built overnight.
It is shaped slowly through surrendered people willing to trust the hands of the Sculptor.
So maybe the question for all of us this week is:
What is God asking us to surrender, refine, trust, or step into right now?
And will we trust Him enough to embrace the process?
Grateful to be in it with each of you.