Mess or Masterpiece?

Last Monday night, I called my Dad.  We were talking and catching up, and he asked me how everyone was feeling. I was happy to report that we were all FINALLY on the mend (from the Strep Throat and Sinus infections that had plagued us for over a week), and everyone had made it through an entire week of school! Of course he was glad, and made the comment that we’d really had it rough lately. I had to agree, and was tempted to enter into “Woe is Me” mode,  but I was reminded of a story I once heard about a speech by Corrie Ten Boom. 
I shared this with Daddy, and explained to him how she was giving a talk about life and its struggles.  As she was speaking, she seemed to be working on a piece of needlework.  She said that from our perspective, life is much like the underside of a weaving.  All we see is a mess: a jumble of string that seems to have no rhyme or reason.  But, she added as she turned the piece right side up, from God’s perspective there is a plan.  Not just a plan, but God has a Masterpiece in mind with every push of the needle and pull of the thread. 
This reminded me of another lesson from a few years ago, when I was able to attend a Living Proof Live event with Beth Moore.  We were studying the book of James and she was explaining the verbiage of James 1:2-4.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

As only she can, Miss Beth began to explain to us that the Greek word for “various” or “many kinds” was actually the word “poikilos” and it literally means “multi-colored”.   The word complete (there in verse 4) means perfect, whole, or “finished product”. In other words, “masterpiece”.  Isn’t that cool?  The trials that we face in life are actually the very colors that God is using to weave his plan in, and create a Masterpiece of, our lives.

When I finished sharing all this with Daddy, he said, “Preach it, Sister!”, to which I responded, “You know… I guess I was actually preaching to myself!”.

Isn’t it funny how that happens?  When we get down in the dumps or in a rut about something, our Lord has an awesome way of calling to memory the lessons that He has already so meaningfully taught us. 

When I got home, I began searching for a quote from that speech by Corrie Ten Boom, and learned that she was actually reading a poem…

My life is but a weaving
between my Lord and me,
I cannot choose the colors
He worketh steadily.
Oftimes he weaveth sorrow,
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I, the underside.
Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver's skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern he has planned.

—Corrie ten Boom

That night as I lay down to sleep, I began to thank God for all of the many colors He has weaved into my world.  Life is hard… and sometimes it hurts.  But God heals.  And as he heals and restores, he creates in us all that he ever intended us to be… His Masterpiece.
He’s God, and I’m not.  His ways are not my ways, and his thoughts are not my thoughts.
He knows what he’s doing.
So, I think I’ll leave him to it.