There will always be good days, bad days, and the beauty in between. Depending on who you are, you can either be focused on the cleanliness and whiteness of the canvas, or for others, the small(or big) red splotches, or for some others, you can just be grateful that you have a canvas at all. Nonetheless our lives are a consistent, fluid, living mosaic of the memories and people we hold dear. The beauty in between. A kaleidoscope.
I watched the movie “Soul” the other day, which is always a good reminder of the aforementioned ladder perspective; that sometimes we should be grateful to have a canvas at all. While there are things that may be stressful, anxiety-inducing, and heartbreaking, there is joy in suffering. While there are things that may be full of joy, soul-filling, and lifegiving, our souls sing forevermore. Living is not merely just a highlight reel of memories where we can find purpose and joy, but a gift.
I know it is easy to get caught up in the small things from yourself or others: the miscommunications, unmet expectations, disappointments, frustrations, selfishness, and anything else that comes to your mind, but…it’s vapor. If we are merely a mist that vanishes at dawn, then what are the things in which we mindlessly hold on to?
A side note; I write not as someone who is well disciplined in these aspects, but as someone who is struggling through these. God is good and the purpose of progress is to release us from the pressures of perfection.
While there are many scriptures that have been flowing through my mind and could be tied to this, this stands out in particular.
“Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” –Philippians 1:18-20
Our days are numbered, whether you like it or not, it is just simply out of our control. What is in our control is attitude and perspective. Life is too short to get caught up on the small things that distract us from the blessing and gift of waking up each and everyday. All that we have is given to us by God, and our job to be good stewards and glorify Him through it all. If the Lord does not raise this house, then the laborers labor in vain.
No matter the pain, the suffering, the lows, or even the highs, the joys, the things that make us smile, everything should be used to honor Christ, for we are not our own. If we truly believe in the sovereignty of God then we believe that His grace has no limits, that on our best days we are never beyond the need of His grace, and on our worst days never beyond the reach of His grace(Jerry Bridges).
Living for Christ is not just the highlight reel of when we go to worship nights, read our Bibles, or spreading the Good news; the whiteness of the canvas. Dying for Christ is not just preserving through the pain for His glory, casting away our flesh, or giving everything up to Him; the red blotches on the canvas. Living and dying for Christ is taking each and every second given to us, and thanking God for it, appreciating the blessing that it is to have a canvas.
There are many things that make us live rather than just exist, and it’s hard for me to name them sometimes, but at least I am awake to write this, so that is something. I mentioned earlier that life is a beautiful mosaic of memories, peoples, and feelings, so I wanted to take some time to share what I have been grateful for that God has given me, in hopes to glorify Him.
I am blessed to some days wake up anxious, to be on my knees in prayer because there is the joy in suffering, and I have found peace in the wings of the Father.
I am blessed to have my housemates, surrounding me in Christian brotherhood, iron sharpening iron.
I am blessed to have friends who keep me accountable, to have the hard conversations, go on late night drives, take pictures, and let me vent among other things.
I am blessed with Hunter and Spencer, keeping me accountable in my pursuit of God, reading with me every morning, going on late night drives, being a listening ear when I feel unheard, and being brothers in every step of the way.
I am blessed to be stressed, to have things that mean enough to me to be annoyed and frustrated.
I am blessed with Jack and Isabella, who are always there just a phones call away, who know me better than I know myself sometimes, who are safe places to talk about anything, and always excited to catch up.
I am blessed with mentors, all willing to catch up and invest in me no matter the cost, even with no return some of the time.
I am blessed with my parents who love me no matter what, giving validation and love I didn’t know I needed, loving me in ways I didn’t know were possible, giving me examples and wisdom to be the man God desires me to be.
I am blessed to know God, who is yet a shoreline to the wandering ship, and the ship to a complacent shoreline.
I am blessed to have everything in between. The things in between joy and sorrow. I am blessed to have the mundane days and days full of life, because life is beautiful.
Life is a movie, but the beautiful part about it is that you can’t watch it again. We know there’s a happy end to it all. Sure, life is about the journey and the destination, but it’s also about the company; the small daily moments we take for granted, the people and memories that make up the mosaic of everyday life. All for the King.
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”- 1 Peter 5:10
“When the sky is falling, when life is a dream
I fortunately fall into the beauty between
Only God above me, painting my scene
I fortunately fall into the beauty between“-Kings Kaleidoscope
The Looking Glass Blog 