Day 13 Translucent

The tulips on my table once vibrant and full of life are now hanging their crimson heads low. I watch them as the sun streams through their petals and something in me stirs. They are glorious. In their weary and worn state they are more beautiful to me than when I first set their cheerful blooms on the table. Why? Then it hits me. As they die, the pigment in them separates and the light is able to shine through them. Like a beautiful stained glass, their true glory is only known when the light shines through them.

Ah, of course. Translucency and vulnerability, they are sisters. We often feel most unloveable when we are broken or when we fail. We say “I’m sorry” when we weep with friends. Why do we do that? Why do we apologize for letting our heart show? And yet, could it be that in these moments, in these seasons, we are our most beautiful?  Could it be that when we allow others to see into our weakness we allow them to see the one who is at work in us? Yes he is the light that shines through. His strength in our weakness is a work of art.

These are things that I ponder as I walk through one of most broken times of my life. Allowing myself the kindness of being weak and weary in the midst of heartache is not easy. I wonder why we are always so hard on ourselves. Could it be that the enemy of our souls does not want the true glory of creator God to shine through us in our brokenness? Yes it most definitely could be that.

Here is to being translucent. Shine, Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:9,10 ~”Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”