brush strokes of life

today in one of my classes, we discussed the reason behind things happening in relation to who God is. it was quite fascinating really. my professor used the analogy of a large scale painting. when you stand back, you can take in the entire painting and see it in all of its beauty and glory, its perfection. but if you stand right in front of it, as if with your face against it, you see all the little brush strokes and splatters of paint within that little space. it is not beautiful, it does not seem good or perfect.

this is how we as humans look at things. we see the little brush strokes here and there, the splatters of paint. and to us it is confusing, almost ugly. but God in all of His awesome glory is standing out from the painting and looking upon it, taking it all in. His plan, divinely laid out, beautiful......perfect.

it reminds me of something i read in C.S. Lewis' book, "A Grief Observed" where he speaks of understanding his wife's death. and you know what he concluded? it is beyond his understanding.

When I lay these questions before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of 'No answer.' It is not the locked door. It is more like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate, gaze. As though He shook His head not in refusal but waiving the question. Like, 'Peace, child; you don't understand.'

see, Lewis was confused and troubled by his wife's death, because all he was seeing was the brush strokes in the great painting. this is life, as my professor pointed out. this is us when tragedy strikes our lives. and then we think of Romans 8:28. see, Paul is speaking here of the grand painting. the perfect masterpiece, God's divine plan.

this hits home for me, especially lately, with some things not going the way i would have liked them to. nothing life threatening, but frustrating. and here i am reminded that i am not seeing the big picture, but the small brush strokes. but in the end, it will all work together for the good of those who love HIM.