My ‘God is boring’ claim is that God delights to draw-out from each of His children the rich potential He has created within them – That potential is the full likeness of His Son, Jesus. (Romans 8:29.) Yes, we’re Jesus look-alike creations!

Within every Christian believer the full likeness of Jesus exists. It’s of no benefit to anyone if His likeness remains hidden, deep within. The benefit comes from bringing to the surface this likeness. How does God bring to the surface of our lives the likeness of His Son? Actually, it’s quite similar to how crude oil is brought to the surface from deep within the earth – God needs to ‘bore’ deep into our minds and hearts for the likeness of His Son to appear to Him and others. How does God bore us? And, how deep does He have to go?

Recently I contacted my Christian brother, Kevin, who’s in the crude oil business in the USA. (My initial meeting with Kevin, and his wife, Sandra, was enough for me to want to be a Texan.) I asked Kevin if he knew the deepest measured depth recorded of a drilling into the earth’s surface. Kevin responded with, “I think it is a well in a Russian field, drilled by Exxon…the well produces hydrocarbons and was drilled to a measured depth of approximately 49,000 feet (15 kms!).  Only about 3,100 feet was drilled vertical, the remaining distance of the well was drilled horizontally.”  Impressive? Sure, to those who are technically minded.

OK, so there’s much divine goodness within each of us – some at a superficial level and more at deeper levels (varies with each believer). Unlike the earth, we are free to cooperate and collaborate with God in His ‘boring-us’ operation. The drill He uses to cut deep below the surface of our lives is the Holy Spirit (the Spirit’s prime purpose in our lives). God’s word (Scripture) is the cutting edge, used by the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”

Friends, in order for the Holy Spirit to bring to the surface of our lives the rich store of God’s likeness, He has to bore through layers of ignorance, rebellion, stubbornness, laziness, selfishness and, the toughest of all obstacles is PRIDE! With glad permission, God has been boring-me since realising the rich Christ-store within. The result?  My wife, children, and friends like the ‘new’ me.

Best wishes, 

Bill Joukhadar