A Week of Fin - 2
"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
Do you ever depict God as a painter? I love to imagine Him behind a canvas, delighting in every stroke of His brush as he paints life into existence. To me, He is like an unseen painter–His care and effort are constant, even if we don’t recognize His hand at the moment. I mean, He is always at work, and we often marvel at His beauty without thinking of the hours of unseen work He has invested.
The truth is we won't ever be able to comprehend God's mind. We will continue to ask why those splatters of darkness remain on our canvas, and why some have much more colourful lives than our own. But could it be that those colours are more intentional than we realise? Or could the darkness be placed there to give contrast to His goodness?
In other words, our lack of understanding doesn’t diminish His love or goodness: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28)
Sometimes the painting has to be messy before it reveals its beauty. Maybe I'm being too abstract, but let's try to think of it like that. An artwork, being our lives, takes time to create and can often look chaotic or incomplete during the process.
While we see only small sections of the artwork—perhaps a corner of blues and grays—God, as the painter, sees the entire design. He knows what the finished masterpiece will look like. Our limited perspective can make God’s work seem confusing, but from His eternal vantage point, everything fits perfectly together. Now that's art.
I often find myself scrutinising every hardship of my own or another's life, trying to fathom how it all makes sense in God’s grand design. I do try to be optimistic and unwavering amidst the struggles, but I tend to forget God's sovereignty. Seeking to make sense of every challenge can be exhausting because, more often than not, it simply doesn't add up to me.
It's verses like these that anchor me again. Are we really meant to understand why everything happens? Can we have peace without knowing? Absolutely. In fact, I believe there’s more peace in embracing the unknown, for it frees us from the weight of needing to see the whole picture. This isn’t a burden for God—He remains unshaken, like calm waters amid chaos. He feels our pain but holds control over it all. Knowing that He has complete sovereignty and maintains His perfect peace allows us to embrace that same peace in our own lives.
Listen to these words: “He has made everything beautiful in time”. Beauty will come. Rest and peace will come. His kingdom will come. And in fact, these things have already been made and are with us now.
Consider this: if God is the painter of our lives, then we are in good hands. Even when all we see around us is dissonance and discolour, remember that the painting is not yet complete. Remember that there is intention to every detail. That God sees the whole picture before it's even created, yet He is at peace and constantly at work with you.
There is beauty in the process. It won't always remain dim. This is the beauty of His hidden work.
For Today:
Pray:
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Do you ever depict God as a painter? I love to imagine Him behind a canvas, delighting in every stroke of His brush as he paints life into existence. To me, He is like an unseen painter–His care and effort are constant, even if we don’t recognize His hand at the moment. I mean, He is always at work, and we often marvel at His beauty without thinking of the hours of unseen work He has invested.
The truth is we won't ever be able to comprehend God's mind. We will continue to ask why those splatters of darkness remain on our canvas, and why some have much more colourful lives than our own. But could it be that those colours are more intentional than we realise? Or could the darkness be placed there to give contrast to His goodness?
In other words, our lack of understanding doesn’t diminish His love or goodness: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28)
Sometimes the painting has to be messy before it reveals its beauty. Maybe I'm being too abstract, but let's try to think of it like that. An artwork, being our lives, takes time to create and can often look chaotic or incomplete during the process.
While we see only small sections of the artwork—perhaps a corner of blues and grays—God, as the painter, sees the entire design. He knows what the finished masterpiece will look like. Our limited perspective can make God’s work seem confusing, but from His eternal vantage point, everything fits perfectly together. Now that's art.
I often find myself scrutinising every hardship of my own or another's life, trying to fathom how it all makes sense in God’s grand design. I do try to be optimistic and unwavering amidst the struggles, but I tend to forget God's sovereignty. Seeking to make sense of every challenge can be exhausting because, more often than not, it simply doesn't add up to me.
It's verses like these that anchor me again. Are we really meant to understand why everything happens? Can we have peace without knowing? Absolutely. In fact, I believe there’s more peace in embracing the unknown, for it frees us from the weight of needing to see the whole picture. This isn’t a burden for God—He remains unshaken, like calm waters amid chaos. He feels our pain but holds control over it all. Knowing that He has complete sovereignty and maintains His perfect peace allows us to embrace that same peace in our own lives.
Listen to these words: “He has made everything beautiful in time”. Beauty will come. Rest and peace will come. His kingdom will come. And in fact, these things have already been made and are with us now.
Consider this: if God is the painter of our lives, then we are in good hands. Even when all we see around us is dissonance and discolour, remember that the painting is not yet complete. Remember that there is intention to every detail. That God sees the whole picture before it's even created, yet He is at peace and constantly at work with you.
There is beauty in the process. It won't always remain dim. This is the beauty of His hidden work.
For Today:
- Do you trust that God is working, even when you can't see it?
- Do you find peace in embracing the unknown and surrendering control?
- Remember that beauty takes time; trust the process.
Pray:
- Pray for trust in God’s plan and purpose.
- Ask for peace in letting go of the need to understand everything.
- Pray for patience, knowing God is in control.
Posted in A Week of Fin
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