A Beautiful Mess

A beautiful mess, such a contradiction! Is it even possible? I heard this phrase a few weeks ago when the MOPS theme for next year was revealed.

MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. It is a group for moms with kids who aren't in school yet and provides childcare during the meetings. Moms have childless time with other women, eat, do activities, listen to speakers, support one another, laugh, and have uninterrupted conversations. Check out www.mops.org for a group near you. I go to The Wesleyan Church of Hamburg group and it is incredible!

Okay, MOPS plug over :) Back to a beautiful mess...... In general, I don't like messes. I am the kind of person who likes things in its place neatly. I'm not much for lots of things. Actually one of my favorite things to do is get rid if stuff I don't need or really want. It's like a snake shedding its skin, when I release things I feel clearer and freer. When I start to feel overwhelmed by the task of taking care of stuff, I know it's time for me to purge some. It's harder to have a mess when you don't have too much stuff. My stuff has to serve me, not the other way around.

I can tolerate a mess for a short while, but there always comes the time that I need it cleaned up NOW!!! I feel calmer, safer, and more secure when their is not much clutter and everything is in its "home". It also saves a lot of frustration when I need or want something, I know right where it is.

The thing is, I can't prevent nor clean up all messes despite my best efforts. I struggle and strive but it's no use, it's not my fight. It's hard to accept sometimes. What do you mean I can't clean this one up even if I jump through hoops? I sometimes have to struggle for a while to no avail. Then I hear it, the soft, gentle whisper....... "It's not your fight Shannon, I got this one." And then I remember, I'm not in control, I'm not God. I'm trying to do God's job and shirking some of my own responsibilities. The wisdom washes over me (for the umpteenth time) that I am responsible for doing my part the best that I can and Then trust God with the outcome. Sounds easy, but for a control-freak like me that is a tall order!

Then it hits me....... My life is a beautiful mess and God is cleaning it up one day at a time. He is cleaning up things that I thought were impossible to tame. He is using my messes to bring beauty, blessing, and healing to myself and others. God is doing the unthinkable in my limited human perspective, He is turning my ashes into beauty, He is turning my misery into my ministry. He is cultivating things in me that would have been impossible had my life gone in a different direction. He is bringing me through abuse, addiction, divorce, impurity, anxiety, depression, isolation, hatred, judgment, fear, and a host of sin. It blows my mind to think about the ways He is transforming my life! What do ya say, are you going to let Him do the same in your life?

Please leave a comment sharing how God has turned your messes into beauty!!