Beautiful and Good

"God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good." Genesis 1:31a

The words of yesterday's song continue to ring in my head..."You make beautiful things".  From a faith perspective I believe this fully, and as I look around I see beautiful, amazing things and creatures. 

On a personal level, particularly on difficult days, I feel far from beautiful or good.  It tests my faith, in that there are times when, wrestling with this chronic illness, my situation seems like the exception to the rule. As if I say internally 'Yes, God made everything Good and beautiful but somehow I'm faulty'.  There are things about my body and mind that don't work right at times, and I can convince myself that somehow I"m unique in my 'faultiness".  Perhaps you find yourself thinking similar things at times.

It is not a big leap to get to that thinking when we live in a world where there's an illusion that everyone is 'healthy' and 'normal'.  But the reality is that there is brokenness and pain in everyone's life.  As a dear friend of mine says "You don't get off this planet without experiencing deep pain."  She's one of the most understanding and compassionate people I know, and yes, she's walked the valleys of pain herself.  As people with long-term illnesses, our pain and the brokenness of our bodies is something that can be front and center and hard to ignore.  Other times we may experience remission of symptoms and the beauty and goodness is easier to see. There are also blessed days when we feel physically lousy, and yet can affirm life adn faith.

While our awareness of the pain and hurt in life ebbs and flows like the tide, our Lord is very aware of the struggles in his beautiful creation. Jesus came to show God's love to the sick and broken.  "God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus died for us."  It is a powerful and sometimes strange contrast-- that God made everything beautiful and good, and God also is present in those times in life where all we see is brokenness and pain.

I believe one of the gifts of this journey is the awareness of pain and struggle in our world. As we become very aware of our own struggles, we are given the gift of seeing the journeys that others take as well, and are then able to give encouragement and compassion to others.  It also helps us to see the beauty and goodness of God's world shine through even more clearly.

Amazing God, help us to grow in faith and compassion on this life's journey. When we are struggling, help us not despair, but surround us with compassion and love.  Amen.