The five-year-old little girl sat hunched over her picture. She picked up one color, without taking her eyes off the paper, she moved her hand back and forth. Dropping that crayon, she grabbed for another one, drew her bottom lip into her mouth, and the color transferred from what she held in her hand to the masterpiece before her. Many times, she would bring me her picture. I made the mistake of asking her what it was … but only once.
She knew exactly what she’d created and could tell me every detail about each part of the drawing. The work of art came from her heart to her mind and out her fingers. She distinguished the beauty in her creation but her description and purpose for the drawing held the real treasure.
I’ve heard other artists and creative people talk about what they’ve designed. Often a light shines from their eyes, the passion for the project coming through as they spoke with excitement. Even at times when a picture or story hasn’t turned out quite the way they’ve planned, still a love for the process of creating wove through the energy of their words.
Masterpieces are often a mirror of the heart of the creator.
One of my favorite Bible verses says that we are God’s masterpiece. It goes on to say we’re created in His image to do what He planned ahead of time for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
God, the Creator of all things, designed you and me, individually, according to what He had in His heart, then to His mind.
My young friend’s creation can’t change itself to be different than how she created it. Unfortunately, we do try to make ourselves into something God never intended. I certainly have. I’ve tried to mold myself into someone else’s expectations. Over my life, I have wasted days trying to be different than I am. And I’ve worked to find purpose in places contrary to God’s plan for me.
This has ended in frustration, fear, and self-induced turmoil. I have seen it in my own life and in the lives of others. We bring on our own struggles when we try to be someone unlike our Creator made us.
Many people wonder about their own identity. We beat ourselves up over who we think we should or shouldn’t be. We shed tears over wondering why we struggle within ourselves with self-doubt or criticism. We might even wrap our identity in one thing but if that job or commitment changes, we don’t know who we are anymore.
I experienced this when health kept me from being involved in areas of ministry and touching lives in person. I believed I was what I did. I spent hours before God crying over what I couldn’t do anymore. My identity rested in doing.
My perspective had to come face-to-face with God’s.
Because we can never truly understand who we are without God’s perspective.
God has a plan for you and for me. When we focus on who He says we are rather than what we think we should be, life is much more fulfilling and purposeful. You are His masterpiece and He created you with a plan. Ask Him for His perspective and let Him lead you to be the mirror of His heart in you.
Photo used with permission
Artwork by Mariah Macklin
