Work It Out

What did I ever do before painting?

I wondered this as I cleaned up my studio space after a particularly satisfying afternoon in acrylics. My hands were covered in paint, as was part of the floor. I’d worked on the above painting - a sea with no beginning, no end, no real direction.

And that’s how I was feeling as I painted it. A little lost. A little confused. A little unsure.

But painting helped.

I’ve come to realize that many days, as I move paint around on canvas or paper, I’m really just “painting it out.” I have no preconceived notion of how the piece should look. I simply need to be with God and move my hands while my thoughts relax. In some way, painting sorts through the muddle.

Maybe today you realize your own need to “paint it out”.

My daughter “runs it out” - enjoying nothing better than a long run on a deserted trail. You may cook it out or garden it out or sing it out. Whether you clean the house or play the saxophone or trim the hedges or photograph flowers, God has given each of us the ability to work through our feelings in some creative, life-giving way.

These pursuits create space for us to acknowledge His presence and direction in our lives.

We are reminded that He cares about every difficulty we face and wants to help us find ways to make sense of this challenging life.

He is always steady.

Try working it out in your own way, while giving your challenges to your ever-present Father who is waiting to help you through them.

And then you can move forward, your eyes fixed on the One who calls you Beloved.

Cast your cares on the Lord
    

and he will sustain you;


he will never let
   

the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 55:22 NIV

I’m headed to a new canvas right now…

Today is a GOOD day!

~ Natalie