LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
II Corinthians 3:18

Every morning I find myself set in a routine of waking, showering, and dressing for the day. Every morning I take off my sleep clothes in exchange for clean clothes. Every morning I let the water run a minute or two while I stare in the mirror to determine if I need (or want) to shave for the day or not. Every morning I go through the same steps to come to the same result.
Today, though, was slightly different. While I still woke and all, I found myself starring at my reflection just a few minutes longer while the water from the shower hit the tub and glided down the drain. What was I looking at? At first it was my facial hair...I haven't shaved since Sunday and the hair above my lip is starting to curl in on the sides. It pokes me a little. Then I moved to my head to see how long my hair there was. It has been almost a week since I buzzed my head and it is growing quicker than I wish. After careful consideration of all I could see in the mirror, I felt in my spirit a prompting, a nudge so to say. What about your heart?
The reflection I see in the mirror is a reflection of me. Good or bad, perfect or blemished, the person physically looking back at me from the mirror is myself. But I want my reflection to be of Christ. As stated in an old song by the Allies, "I want the world to be looking at You when they're looking at me." Still, in order for the world to see something worth seeing, I need to be something worth being. Now please do not read that wrong, I am not saying this is all works related. What I am saying, however, is that when I look in the mirror and still see more of myself than of Christ, something is seriously wrong.
I read in II Corinthians 3:18 that I am being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory. So exactly how is this happening? Do I just wake up one day and suddenly look Christ-ly? Wish that was the case, but unlike Spiderman, I wasn't bit by some God-spider and woke up with abs. In order for me to reflect Christ I must allow myself to be transformed by Christ. I do this by allowing Him to remove all the places that do not give Him glory. In a way it is like plastic surgery. I see a defect, I make an appointment with the doctor for it to be fixed or removed, then I have a more perfect body. So then like with Christ, I see a defect - I have anger issues. I make an appointment with the doctor - I come before God in prayer and honestly take time in His presence, many times as a repeat client, until finally the blemish, the sin, the weakness is removed. I have a more perfect body - I reflect a positive piece of the overall image of who He is.
Becoming like Christ is not a one time visit, though, much like going to one counseling session is never enough to solve years of conflict. Even in my times of being counseled, it seemed as though when one issue was getting better, a new issue was arising. It wasn't that the counselor wanted to drain my pockets by pointing out my every flaw, but that their goal was my overall health. So with God, when one issue is getting better God will suggest another area that we too need to work on. For me I have seen how God has worked to show me I need help with my anger, then begin also to work with unforgiveness, self-esteem, and my treatment of others to name a few areas. Lest I think I will ever be perfect while on earth, I can at least rest assured that I am a work in progress, and God longs to work His perfection in me.
So in coming back to what I saw in the mirror today, I may have areas where my reflection does show a hint of Christ, but until all of me reflects Christ, I have work to do. Therefore the remainder of II Corinthians 3:18 is true for me, this transformation comes from the Lord, aided by the Spirit. I must be willing to lay myself down to God's knife and allow Him to perform the surgery needed on me, piece by piece. The end result will be a reflection of Him. The end result of reflecting Him is what I desire.