I will "peace" you back together

A few months after we lost Chance, a dear blog friend gifted me with the book Mended by Angie Smith. Such a beautiful and thoughtful gesture. God knew exactly what I needed to hear at just the right time. Love the way He works.

In the book, Angie describes a scene in which the Lord prompted her to shatter a piece of pottery and then, slowly, piece by piece, put it back together again. It was in those moments of rebuilding and remaking a beautiful piece of art that the Lord showered her with this hope-filled message.

I will piece you back together.

I am the way to true peace. 

I am the way to true peace and I will piece you back together. 

Life had been shattered. Her fourth daughter, Audrey, was born alive, but lived for only a few hours due to incompatibilities with life outside the womb. The storm had come and war was raging and God was slowly guiding her to break into her hurt in order to be rebuilt.

I think we can all benefit from this visual and life lesson.

Maybe suffering hasn't hit your life in the form of child loss, but there has bound to be some other area of hurt or anger or confusion that clouds your heart. Some area that steals your joy and peace, or at least a portion of it. Some life event that has left you short of breath and emotionally drained.

Pottery is not crafted quickly or easily. It takes time, days even, for the artist to mold and shape and finally declare the project complete. And the same is true with our Heavenly Father as He so tenderly works with us. He walks with us through the hurts and the storms, all the while molding and shaping our life and gently pointing us back to His presence. The only true source of peace.

He takes the broken areas of our life, the scars and battle wounds, and gives special attention to each and every detail, each and every piece. Because each piece of our lives is so very important to Him, friends. Pottery cannot be deemed complete if a chunk is missing or a segment broken off. Likewise, each life event we face is not by random chance or even bad luck, but necessary to perfectly fill the canvas the Lord is so carefully painting on our behalf.

So if you're battered and bleeding, press into the pain with all you've got. Break the pot and invite the Lord in to help you rebuild as life settles into a new normal. Sure, life might not look exactly like it did before the storm clouds rolled in, but it will be a life restored.

I think that's the life we all desire if we are honest. One that's been worked on and restored to a better version than what we once knew.

So create your art, Father. Attend to the brokenness. Fill the cracks. And give us eyes to see the beauty in your craftsmanship.