“…in the middle of some of my hardest seasons, I’ve looked at the canvas of my life and felt like maybe God had gotten lost, or even maybe skipped over me.*That He indeed had good plans for many, but somehow I wasn’t included. I often hope to see a finished work, but get discouraged when it seems my canvas is just lights and darks; seemingly colorless.*I’ve experienced some hard things in a few arenas of my life recently. I’ve walked with hurting children, wept at lives lost, and fought (white knuckled) for identity the enemy sought to destroy. I’ve raised my fists to heaven and begged God to intervene in supernatural ways.*These “dark” or hard seasons are the first I want to dismiss, hide, or draw discouragement from. But God desires to use my experience to point to His work as the Creator.*He uses the darks and lights to create a vivid image of Himself in and through the lives of those who call Him Lord.*With strokes of a wide and gracious Father, He gave me eyes to see His work through the experiences of my life.
Trust the Artist, your Creator.
He won’t. It’s not in his nature.
{This is an excerpt from a post I shared on the (in)courage blog in 2016.}
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In our current situation, it’s easy to wonder when all of this will end, loose sight of hope, or question how anything good could emerge from this season. In these moments, we have a choice. Where will we put our hope? Where do we place our trust?
If you are scared or weary, hear me say this. God has NOT given up on you.
People may have disappointed you; friends may have hurt you, but be careful where you cast blame.
If you find yourself white-knuckling life, gently place the brush back in the artist’s hand.
Hard seasons are not the expression of displeasure from your Creator.
Sometimes-the only way to the spacious place is through the tight, cramped spaces.
We are all in process.
Celebrate what is good. Hold on to hope for what is not YET good.
Don’t despise the darks; vivid color will emerge from the valley seasons.
Hang on, friend. I am holding on with you!
Alyssa
Alyssa DeLosSantos 