The Big Picture

On the day I buried my husband, my pastor gave me a picture that revolutionized the way I see life.

He compared life to a tapestry. He explained that here on earth we can only see the back side of the tapestry, with frayed clumps of string dangling and imperfect stitches all knotted up and messy.

But even when all we can see is the mess, God is on His throne working on the most glorious work of art we could ever imagine. He’s using everything we perceive as ugly and imperfect in our lives, weaving all of it into His intricate design, making His handiwork all the more beautiful. He sees His work in its entirety, and from His viewpoint it’s magnificent.

What if we approached our every-day lives with this same “eternity” perspective? What if, with each decision we made, we evaluated its eternal impact rather than its effect on the present? How would it change things?

• Think about a simple shopping trip to the mall. Would it change what you purchase?
• Think about running late to an appointment. Would it reduce your level of stress?
• Think about when someone treats you unfairly. Would it help you respond with the love of Jesus?
• Think about that big tragedy that’s happened in your life. Could you see it as His way of steering you onto a path to more abundant life?

For me, looking at life in the scope of eternity changes everything.

• It helps me love the unlovable rather than exploding in anger.
• It makes me want to do for others instead of vegging in my pajamas all weekend.
• It refines me into a godly mother who actually controls her quick-tempered lash-outs toward her needy children.
• It keeps me from buying that extra pair of shoes I don’t need so that I can lend a hand to someone who’s going hungry.
• It’s the cool drink of water that makes that bitter pill of heartache so much easier to swallow.

No doubt, this life is hard. But if it happens that right now your view looks especially ugly and knotted up, trust Him. Know that He’s hard at work weaving these threads of heartbreak into the intricate tapestry of His beautiful plan for your life.

His handiwork is exquisite, without exception.

Life is a vapor, and we are but dust. But He is eternal, and all that really matters in this world is that we minister the love of Jesus to a lost and dying world and glorify Him in the process.

There will come a day when everything in this earthly life has burned away and we’ll be left standing before Him, clinging only to that which is eternal.

I wonder … on that day, what will I have to offer Him?

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Cor. 4:18 NLT

Amy Dane

Amy is a scattered single mom of four who's learning to cling to Grace. Redeemed at seven, it wasn't until tragedy struck at age thirty-seven that God blew her away with His amazing love for her. A Texas school librarian who dreams of becoming a full-time writer some day, she blogs regularly at makemeamary.com , a website born out of a prayer she prayed as a new widow. You can also connect with her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Even though she's slightly hashtag-challenged.

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