Psalm 138:8
“The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.”
Every profession has tools they use to accomplish their trade. The carpenter has hammers, saws and a measuring tape to help them perfect the building of homes. The mechanic has wrenches, sockets and screwdrivers to help perfect the running of a vehicle. God also has tools He uses to perfect His children. The verse above says, “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me…” The LORD wants to perfect us, but we must allow His tools to do their work of perfection in our lives. I find in this psalm that there are five tools the LORD uses to perfect the Christian.
First, God perfects the Christian when they take a stand. Verse 1 talks about walking with a “whole heart” before the gods. In other words, the more you stand for right, the more the LORD can perfect you. There is something about taking a stand that helps the Christian see what they need to correct. You will never be the Christian you are supposed to be without standing for truth.
Second, God perfects the Christian through His Word. Verse 2 talks about the importance of His Word. We learn in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 how His Word profits the Christian. Whenever you miss a day of reading God’s Word, you miss an opportunity for the LORD to perfect you.
Third, God perfects the Christian through prayer. Verse 3 says, “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me…” I have personally found that God oftentimes speaks to me during my prayer time. Friend, prayer is certainly our tool to get things from God, but it is His tool to perfect the Christian. Those who miss that daily time in prayer are missing the opportunity for the LORD to perfect them.
Fourth, God perfects the Christian through preaching. Verse 4 talks about the kings praising the LORD “when they hear the words of thy mouth.” When you miss church, you miss the opportunity to hear the sermon God could use to perfect you. We often hear how that one service we miss could be the one service that God used to change our life forever, and this is true! We live in days when people don’t think it’s that important to be faithful to church, but if you want to grow as a Christian and allow the LORD to perfect you then you need to get yourself under the preaching of His Word.
Fifth, God perfects the Christian through trials. Verse 7 says, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me…” As much as we dislike trials, they have a way of revealing our weaknesses. Every trial I’ve endured has revealed some part of my life that I needed to change. Trials can become your friend if you will allow the LORD to use them to perfect you.
God expects you to grow, but you will not grow without these tools. Let me encourage you to go to the LORD’s toolbox and allow Him to perfect you through His tools. These tools will do you no good until they are used. God has a work He wants to do through you, but He cannot perform that work to its fullest without perfecting you through His tools. Let God do the work of sanctification in your life through these five tools.