The Big Picture

"Don't tell God how big your storm is, but tell the storm how big your God is."

"The future is a hundred thousand threads, but the past is a fabric that can never be rewoven."

I think sometimes I get caught up in trying to tell God what to do. You know, the prayers where you tell God everything you need, everything you think should be changed, questioning what God has done in your life, etc. And when I stop to think about it, I can see the absolute ridiculousness of it all. Life is like a tapestry woven from millions of threads. At any given point, all we can see are a few threads here and there, and they don't necessarily make anything beautiful. The threads may be bright, or they may be very dark. And we might not like how the tapestry is looking, so we ask God to change it. What we're forgetting, though, is that God can see the entire tapestry. He can see the beautiful, complete picture. He doesn't need to be told what needs changing, especially from someone who is only seeing a teeny tiny part.

I also have been reminding myself lately to just live in the moment. So much time is spent thinking about the past, thinking about what could have been changed, or what we might have done just a little bit different. But that part of the tapestry has already been woven. It's done. Looking towards the future can sometimes be productive, but we never know what's going to happen. It could go a million different ways, and no amount of preparation or worrying will change a thing. God is weaving, not me.

And the last thing I try to remember is that the dark threads are every bit as necessary as the light and bright ones. Have you ever seen a beautiful tapestry, or painting, with no black (or dark) in it? The dark is what adds depth, and contrast. The only thing I can do, and the only thing God wants me to do with my life, is put all my trust in Him. Let Him weave the tapestry, and have peace that the picture at the end will be one of beauty.