See The Purpose When God Takes Something Away
My Spanish classroom is small, in an old building. The windows are not insulated, and the walls are thin. But I would not ask to move.
…because I am only a few doors down from the art teacher’s room, and my door abuts the frame of one of the bulletin boards that line the length of hallway. Almost every day I see her standing there, stapler in hand, hanging the latest artwork of students from age kindergarten to seniors in high school.
Her gift is teaching students the details of creation.
One day she talked to a parent in front of a bulletin board where I had just stood mesmerized by the quality of art I saw there.
This is what the kindergartener’s made today, she said.
She loves the students. I hear her out there talking to them. I’ve seen her eyes tear up in concern for them.
And they love her.
She teaches students lines and shadows. I had them draw chocolate, she told me yesterday. Different shapes of chocolate, and they had to make the shadow of the shapes appear on the paper.
With my room in the art hallway, I think about God being artist. I painfully consider the limitations he has put on my life, struggling to accept that he has taken away some things I held as good.
G.K. Chesterton says:
It is impossible to be an artist and not care for laws or limits. Art is limitation; the essence of every picture is the frame. If you draw a giraffe, you must draw him with a long neck. If, in your bold creative way, you hold yourself free to draw a giraffe with a short neck, you will find that you are not free to draw a giraffe.
In James 1:2-4, I read that God is crafting me to be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Art is limitation. Â -G.K. Chesterton
For me to be sketched and shaded and filled in as one thing means there is an exclusion of other options.
When you choose anything, you reject everything else. –G.K. Chesterton
Do I trust God with what he is rejecting?
Will I hold still while he brushes away some lines and colors in my life that I thought were quite nice? Will I allow him the artistic license to get rid of anything that doesn’t contribute to his great work in me?
We submit to limitation for the sake of beauty.
Wow! This one was so deep and beautifully written. I’m so sorry your grieving and yet so thankful your sharing your process and the growth that is resulting. I treasure your posts.
Those are the most encouraging words you can say to me. Thank you for this!
Beautiful crafted blog, as always. I thank God you are in my life, even if its online. You are a total blessing.
Oh thank you, Sharon. You’re always so kind.
Christy, Your posts continue to be a blessing to me. The Lord has gifted you with much insight & it is a pleasure to read. God Bless!
That’s a great encouragement -especially since the last few months I’ve shared some hard things I’ve been going through. Thanks for sticking with me! 🙂