I am on the very last pages of Erwin Raphael McManus’ amazing book The Artisan Soul. The final chapter is a list of things to meditate on based on the chapters of the book. I decided I would blog a few of these. This particular prompt was “Write (your story) as if you were convinced that God is at work in your life and intends only good for you.” I decided not to go real theological with these and just sort of write from the heart.
For so much of my life, I saw my story as one of pessimism, yet looking back, I can see God at work from the beginning. From my earliest memories, I can remember really wanting to do two things with my life, make pictures and tell stories. My parents worried that this was what made the other kids bully me so mercilessly and tried to make me a little “more normal.” I tried too. I buried a lot of the creative stuff and tried to fit in, largely in ways that would have terrified my parents if they had known. Trying to bury who I was, nearly buried me in actuality, but God was at work. Eventually I came to know God through Jesus Christ. Slowly and through much work of the Spirit, God helped me to learn how to use my gifts to serve Him. Today I am a pastor and a traveling speaker, and guess what, I make my living making art and telling stories. In my early childhood, I had no idea what story I would be telling, but today I know now only am I living my dream, but I think I am living out what God created me to be, and I could not be more delighted. What’s funny is the things that likely contributed to me being a human target, are now things people respect me for, know me for and pay me for. When I look back over my life I see that God was at work in me all along and He still is. Romans 8:28 says “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” This is proven true in my life. It’s not just the art or the speaking, or the writing. It’s even the painful stuff. The bullies made me sensitive to the underdog. The pain gave me compassion. The loneliness made me learn to appreciate it when I found true love. God has been at work in me all along.
I suspect He is at work in you too.
AMOKArts 