What do you get when you piece together a bunch of broken pieces of random materials? You get a beautiful piece of mosaic art! As you look at the beauty of the finished product, you gain a new appreciation for the broken pieces that were used to form it. It looks so shiny and put together. But the process that went into making that piece of art involved breaking things, mixing things, forming things and waiting. It is the same way with the broken parts of our lives that on their own seem worthless and unnecessary, but in God’s hands will be formed into the beautiful creation he has always intended.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. – Ecclesiastes 3:11
From the moment that God created us in our mother’s womb, he had a pattern in mind for what we would become. (Psalm 139:13-16) He takes that pattern and adds to it all the gifts, talents, passions and experiences of our lives (especially the broken ones) to create a glorious piece of art. Then he uses the mortar of faith and the Word of God to make sure the pieces stick. One by one the broken pieces of our lives are placed into the exact spot he has planned for them and he finishes it off with the varnish of the Holy Spirit to make us shine.
It’s hard for us to imagine that the pain and the struggles we experience in life will become anything good. But God has promised that one day they will. (Romans 8:28) God is carefully collecting all the pieces of our lives so that one by one they can be added to the pattern he designed for us. When you are faced with a situation that hurts and you cannot imagine how it could ever become something good, close your eyes and picture a beautiful piece of mosaic art. Look at one of the broken pieces of glass and know that it represents this very situation and that it is part of a much bigger piece of art. Then hold tightly to the promises of God and trust him to keep them.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. – Philippians 1:6
Just remember – you are a work of art in progress. Look forward to the finished product!