Pray for Sharpening
It was always my father’s job to cut the meat, whether it be the Thanksgiving turkey or the Sunday roast. I remember how he would open the knife drawer and look through, pushing some aside looking for ‘that one’ that would do the job.
There were knives in the drawer that were the favorites and then there were those that were hardly ever used. The former had a nice blade, the latter was dull and almost useless. Dad would pull out a knife and inspect the blade. Then, if his chosen knife needed to be sharpened, he would take hold of the long wand-like tool that was textured and rough. It sat in the drawer alongside all of the knives.
As I watched him, Dad would swipe the blade of the knife back and forth along the sharpening tool, both sides, up and down, back and forth. It would make a scraping sound that was rhythmic and musical and it required that he was attentive to the process. The friction and abrasion of the knife edge against the rough, textured tool made the knife sharp and ready. Once he was finished, the knife was sharper than ever and ready to use. He would give it a quick polish and then set into the carving of the meat.
The knife sharpening rod went back into the drawer. Interestingly, though the rod always stayed in there with all of the knives, proximity to the sharpener did not mean all the knives remained sharp. It was only when a knife interacted with the rod that the knife experienced sharpening and was ready for the task it was created to do. Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Iron only sharpens iron when there is friction and different textures or edges interact with each other to refine and define one another. If the items are identical, sharpening won’t occur.
If we surround ourselves with people who only agree with us, who think alike all the time, who don’t challenge us, guess what? We become dull, myopic, and insular. If we’re honest, we can become selfish, thinking that our way is the right way because everyone around us thinks so too. If we’re not challenged at all, we lose our sharpness. But when we encounter those who think differently, who may worship differently, who stretch us to think about why we believe what we do, we are ‘sharpened’. The friction wears down the parts of us that would cause us to be dull and ineffective and sharpens the edges of our resolve and conviction. No, it isn’t pleasant, but the alternative is even less appealing because it alludes to spiritual dullness. It doesn’t mean we become like the other…the knife didn’t become the sharpening rod. But instead, it became a better version of what it was created to be.
As parents, we don’t like to see our sons and daughters experiencing discomfort or pain. We don’t enjoy seeing them face difficult things. Our ‘momma heart’ aches to see them struggle. Our natural reaction might be to try and ease the situation, soothe the irritation, or fix the problem. Yet, would we interfere with God’s work in their life? Consider this, that friction, discomfort and irritation they are experiencing might be God’s way of smoothing out their rough edges. It might be God’s brake pedal, slowing them down so they don’t rush into something that is not His will or giving them space so they can hear His voice and see His hand. Maybe God needs to soften their heart and sharpen their mind so they are ready for what He brings next. Godly friction can bring rewards.
Let’s pray for some sharpening friction in the lives of our sons and daughters. Let’s pray that they can have perspective on the process and gratitude that the Lord is preparing them for what’s next. And let’s pray that we, as parents, have perspective too- not feeling the urge to step in and fix it, but to pray that God uses it for their good and for His glory.
“Father, I pray for (name) today. I know things are difficult…or maybe soon will be. Give (name) strength to endure and perspective to understand that You are enthroned as the Holy One (Ps. 22:3) and that You use difficult circumstances and people to refine us and sharpen us. No one, no thing, no event, or authority can interfere with Your plan and purpose, nor will it ever be out of Your control. That’s a comfort, Lord.”
“I pray for sharpening in (name)’s life. I pray that You would bring people and events into their life that would stretch them, teach them, and make them more like Christ. Refine them to be what You created them to be. Challenge their thinking, Lord, so that they know what they believe and why. Sharpen them so they would live their faith with conviction, regardless of the responses or reactions of those around them. Lord, let them be a ‘sharp knife’ that is willing to experience friction because they know it prepares them for what You are calling them to do. Don’t let them sit dull and idle, unusable because they’re unwilling to be sharpened. Let (name) crave Your sharpening because they know it will equip them to be used in effective ways to accomplish Your will for their good and Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.