This picture was in my memories yesterday.
Storms invade, they come, they bring pain and loss. Then, the sun comes out again. They are fierce, but they do not last forever. They shape us, but there is hope in the anchoring in the midst.
I was inspired to paint this. I couldn’t find a big blank canvas at my house, but I found a mixed media piece from 10+ years ago and began painting over it. The piece had the words of the fruit of the Spirit on it— love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
No matter how thick I painted, no matter how much texture, those words shown through.
And then, I smiled.
The Lord is amazing in using all things to teach us. Those words are proof of being in Christ—the literal character of the Spirit who dwells in us. In trials, in storms, in pain, what is inside spills out. It cannot be managed or hidden. It is the beautiful way that God brings Himself glory where it is impossible to be about “all we can do” or what we can manage, or how we can perform. It is the raw heart knowing it has no hope apart from Him. His deposit of life in us, magnifies Him. Storms are frightening. Storms can destroy. And, anchored in Him, storms transform us to bring us to be more like Him and to enjoy Him at the greatest depth. So, nothing is wasted—not even what we think was a failure that didn’t “look good.”
The Art of Coming Alive 