27 February 2011

Day Nineteen: Focus

Sometimes, when you are face-to-face with the ugliness of this life, you cannot see beyond that ugliness, anything other than the ugliness. You might think that it will never end, that it will always be this way.

“Ugly can be beautiful.” (Voskamp, 2010)

How do you find the beauty that is hiding in the ugliness that can be born from this anything-other-than-beautiful situation that you are faced with at the moment?

Where is the beauty in the empty arms of a new mother leaving the birthing center? Where in the face of a child battered by those who supposedly love him? Infidelity, financial ruin, chronic or terminal illness, where is the beauty in these things?

It is hard to focus tightly enough to see it while you are standing in the middle of it, but somewhere, somehow, it is there. We have to learn to focus with a forward lens, beyond the here-and-now. The beauty, the reward, is to come.

After the darkness is the light, and the full beauty comes into view.

19. I am thankful for the beauty that comes after the darkness. I am thankful for the Master Photographer that is shooting, and in control of, the scenes of my life. I know that everything will develop according to His plan for me.


One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

2 comments:

  1. You're right - it's very difficult to find the beauty, standing there in the midst of the ugly. It takes practice and, thank God, we can learn how.

    Waving and smiling,

    Rhonda

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  2. Thank you so much for stopping by and responding, Rhonda. I have been trying for days to respond, but IE is not letting my responses go through. Firefox seems to be allowing it (at this moment, anyway!). Thank goodness for choices, right? :)

    Yes, PTL that we are both reachable and teachable. This book is so full of valuable lessons!

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