Today i spent roughly most of my day removing a shaft from the Palamides, replacing bearings inside the shaft and then rebuilding the machine. It was a dirty, greasy and painful job as it was akward to work in and my hand kept hitting off other parts of the machine (poor me).
There weren't many tracts run through the machine and probably only 1/3rd of what is normaly run through it in a day. But repairs are needed to keep production going.
We can find our Christian lives a little like that - God begins to work on an area of our life and other aspects seem to stop. Perhaps we need to step back from areas of service in order for God to repair us, restore us, revive us and re-egnite the fire in our hearts for Him; before using us further in His service and for His glory.
When God does draw us aside and begins working on us, we know that it is because He loves us and is preparing us to glorify Him.