"GOD PLANTED A GARDEN...THERE HE PUT THE MAN WHOM HE HAD FORMED."

GENESIS 2:8 NKJV
 
Before God put Adam into the garden, He "formed" him. There's a process of preparation God takes us through in order to make us what we need to be. But preparation takes time. God must deal with our inconsistencies, personality defects, areas of distrust, unresolved childhood issues, scars, flaws, etc. How long does it take? Only God knows. Admit it; even at your age don't you still recognize some childish ways in yourself? Anybody else would have given up on you, but God has a plan and He's committed to it. We should all wear a sign that says: "Work In Progress. If you hire me, you need to know that. If you marry me, you need to know that."

The Bible says the Lord "formed man out of the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7 NKJV). What's God working with? Dirt! And the tools He uses to form you are the experiences you go through in life. They shape and alter you. And the more you keep trying to have it your way, the longer the process takes. It may take you five years to learn to quit people-pleasing, or ten years to stop feeling sorry for yourself, or twenty years to stop going back and reliving your childhood. All the while God is telling you, "Stop it," and you're saying, "Yeah, I know. I'm gonna do better." Then finally a crisis happens and the truth hits you. At that point you say, "You know what? I'm going to forget those things which are behind and start reaching for those things which are before. (See Philippians 3:13)