In Other Words--Trust His Hand

“When the trials of life unravel
the fabric of our plans.
When we face the deep confusion
of painful circumstance.
When our feeble strength is broken,
and we stand with empty hands.
That’s when the Father whispers
‘Trust the pattern I have planned.’ “

Lyrics from song, The Weaver

As a quilter I am well aware that sometimes you cut up beautiful fabric into smaller pieces, only to sew them back together. It is in the re-stitching that the patterns are changed that brings a different beauty to the final product. Often that first cut into the fabric is painful to make, but the knowledge of what is to be made makes the cutting of the fabric worth it.

Likewise, as a stitcher I know that you sometimes put a dull colour next to a brighter colour. On its own it is not beautiful, but in relation to the other colours, it reflects and creates new beauty.

It is in the dull and the seemingly destructive that beauty is created in needlearts. Likewise, my Creator uses the dull, the hurtful, the things that would appear to destroy to reflect his beauty in my life.

I've had a serious bout with sciatica this week. Serious enough that I was flat on my back for three days and my doctor did a phone consult to determine if he needed to do a home visit because I could not get to the office. Good medicine collected by wonderfully helpful neighbours have got me moving again. But my Christmas plans for the last few days have been on hold. I could be frustrated with the result. But I have heard the whisper "trust me" and I've been blessed by friends and neighbours help, by watching my girls do things they have not done before and by allowing German to finish the things I wanted to do myself. This slight blip of not being as mobile as I'd like has allowed a golden thread to be woven into the girls' lives that would not have been there otherwise. What I could see as hurtful He sees as an opportunity.

It is no secret that we have encountered some difficult relational things this year. I have struggled against the things that are happening, even as I see God's hand at work. Today, I choose to step back and not see the loss of some relationships as destructive but instead I'll see them as God's weaving new things and people into my life. The bigger picture that only He can see will be beautiful at the end. Golden threads are reflecting through this year. It will be amazing to see what they are highlighting.

If you are struggling and having difficulty seeing past the pain, please take a moment to step back and realize the pain may be the reflector of what is most beautiful in the story. Without the contrast of the pain, the whole beauty might never be seen. Trust the weaver, He knows what it is He is creating in you.

For other reflections on these wonderful lyrics, please visit Loni at Writing Canvas.