Article

A Beautiful Mess

Written by Pastor Eric Everhart

A few years ago, the high school students and leaders set off on a vision trip to Guatemala. As part of our trip, the team got the opportunity to spend a few of our American dollars in the marketplace located in Antigua. This marketplace has just about every souvenir you could want to take home. From T-Shirts to coffee, sandals to hand made wooden trinkets, bracelets and even soccer jerseys–Antigua has everything. 

As we began our way towards the heart of the market we came across an older lady who was sitting cross-legged on a big pillow with a wooden loom in her lap. Her hands were moving quickly as she pulled the many strands of colored string through the loom like she was directing a symphony. She raised her head up acknowledging our presence, smiling softly at us, not missing a beat as she continued her work. The loom she was working on was a mystery to me–there were so many strings running here and there, colors over top of colors in a confusing tangle…to be honest it looked like a mess I would make. But she continued to carefully pull and push the strands of string through the loom in a pattern only she could see. We stood there amazed by her intensity, but also trying to make sense of what she was working on.  

After a few minutes went by, I think the lady could tell we were confused. She then pulled back a blanket on the ground which revealed some beautiful pieces of tapestry–sunsets, animals, a forest of trees, and even a beautiful mountain scene. She held up one of the beautiful pieces of art and then pointed at the unfinished loom, then pointed to the one from the blanket, and then again at the loom. I think we all said it at once, “You mean that crazy mess of string is going to end up that beautiful piece of artwork? Wow!” We were all pretty amazed and even felt a bit silly for not seeing it for what it was in the first place. We shared our appreciation for her work and even bought a few things. We said thank you and parted ways as she smiled and waved goodbye.   

That encounter makes me think about the pattern of our lives. We think we have things figured out–our job is going great, the family is healthy, finances are good, school is school, and at first glance, the pattern is clear. Then all of the sudden we get bad news from a doctor, we lose our job, our senior year of school is now online, graduation becomes a drive through event, we find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic, politics are are dividing our country, a loved one passes away, and 2020 is a year we want to forget. Our lives begin to look a lot like the mess of colored string on the old crafter’s loom. Everything looks confusing, nothing makes sense, the future is unpredictable, and it’s hard to imagine what things will look like tomorrow. Just when you think you have everything figured out, another knot of colored string is pulled through the loom. 

Brothers and sisters, trust and believe that God is at work in your life. And, as with the many different colors of events, circumstances, and situations you will encounter in your lifetime, God is in control. Our God is weaving your life, all the good and difficult challenges, on a loom that will produce a masterpiece tapestry.  It may be difficult to see exactly what God is doing in the midst of the tangled events of your life, but God is doing a new thing through them. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17) Each event, each decision, each hardship, each joy, each hurt–God is using every one of them to weave our lives into a piece of artwork that glorifies the Creator. Trust, believe, be still, and be patient…God knows the pattern, and it is beautiful!  

DO YOU BELIEVE AND TRUST THAT THE GOD WHO SPOKE ALL THINGS INTO BEING IS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE TODAY? 

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” Ephesians 1:11

Recent Updates