He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11
Today is supposed to be another Book Club installment. I say supposed to be because, well, it isn't. I'm in the middle of my own daring greatly business start-up and I'm more than exhausted-- physically and otherwise. So we're pressing the big pause button on the book and we'll pick it back up next month. Maybe some of you can catch up to chapters four and five and join us next time. You won't regret it. Wink, wink.
In the messy middle of a season of unknowns, what's been on my mind lately has been the mystery of how God communicates to me, or to any of us, His plan for our lives. The longer I live the more I see that God does not move in straight, clean lines that make perfect sense to my mortal mind. He moves, certainly, but more like an artist creating a painting, in brush strokes that are fluid and beautiful to be sure, but sometimes they seem messy and don't reveal the entire picture at first glance.
Masterpieces take time to create and great artists are never in a hurry.
If you've ever seen a painting partially finished you know what I mean. It doesn't look very impressive-- in fact, it can be quite discouraging or uninspiring to the eye. It's not finished. There are blank spots. The artist has a vision and a plan, but can't throw all the paint on at once to complete his masterpiece. The whitespace cries out for color, but it has to wait. And in the waiting, at times, the picture can look like a mess.
I've felt like this before, even recently. That I wanted to see more of the picture. I wanted more of the whitespace covered with beauty and color instead of primer. It seems like a waste to just let it sit unfinished-- like the artist had taken an extended chai and biscuit break while he contemplates what he might do next.
But, if God is the Artist in this, He has a plan to complete the picture. He's had one before the first brush stroke hit the canvas.
So I've had to trust in the Artist of my life lately and I can't say I've done a great job. I want to know things-- quickly. I want to see the whole picture, completely, then I want to offer my suggestions on how it could look better or be more beautiful. I want to give Him tips on technique and style, forgetting that He invented all that, too.
But that's not what He's asked me to do.
Like all of us, I've simply been asked to be the Canvas and let God be the Artist. He chooses the color scheme and medium and I get to follow along in the process with him, even when my canvas looks disorderly or unsightly in its current state.
Someone, somewhere once said, you can't rush art or something to that effect. And if our lives are the masterpieces God is creating, we have to trust that he's got the entire thing planned out the way he wants it to look.
So maybe that's where you are today as well. Your canvas feels off-balance and there's a mountain where you want a cottage and you need to let go of your idea of what the picture should look like and simply rest in the arms of the Artist.
I'm not sure I meant to make this a post about artists and paint and color schemes, but here it is.
And perhaps the question for me and for you is, are we willing to trust the Artist with the entire canvas of our lives? And if we do, what does that look like for us today, in this very moment?
Next week, we're going to begin our month of Christmas posts. We're changing things up a bit and will be posting on Monday and Thursday. We're also giving the blog a little face-lift as well, just for the occasion. So join us in December and be encouraged as we move closer to Christmas and celebration.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Beautifully written, Kim! As I read this post I was not only encouraged tremendously but soothed in my spirit as I am battling sickness at home and deadlines to meet. What you said is so true, and in fact, we should be glad that God is in no hurry, since the masterpiece is our very own life story. Thanks, my friend.
Thanks for the encouragement friend! Get better soon... I'm glad I lifted your spirits a bit.