A Beautiful Mess: Putting Your Life Back Together

September 13, 2012 — 7 Comments

A Beautiful Mess: Putting Your Life Back Together | by Charlie Lyons

I never cease to be amazed at how a comment from a three year old brings clarity and perspective to just about any situation. If you’re a parent, I’m sure you’ve experienced it many times also. Have you ever been bowled over by the oft accompanying (though perhaps unintended) depth and perception?

Just a few days ago I was down the hall from my son’s bedroom where he was kneeling next to his bed, playing happily with his Thomas the Tank Engine MegaBlocks set of toys. (I highly recommend this series of toys, by the way.) As he usually does, he was commentating the storyline as it unfolded in front of him.

Then something happened that also usually does when he’s playing with just about anything… there was, as he calls it, a big “crash-bang-boom.” Several pieces of MegaBlocks quickly made their way across his bed and onto the floor.

What he said next literally stopped me in my tracks:

“What a beautiful mess!”

As he went about gathering up the pieces and putting it all back together again, with nothing less than unbridled excitement, I was struck by the vivid illustration this draws of our Heavenly Father and his daily interactions with us.

Every morning as a new storyline unfolds for you, He excitedly looks on with gleeful anticipation…

“Which direction will he go today?”

“What decisions will she make?”

“Which choices or opportunities will they make the most of?”

Then, you experience the inevitable and daily personal crashes, bangs, and booms and the pieces of your life are strewn all over the place.

As our Heavenly Father lovingly and graciously surveys your situation, he says, “What a beautiful mess,” and then goes about putting your life back together again with his own very special edition of unbridled excitement, steadfast love, and everlasting compassion…

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity
and passing over transgression
for the remnant of his inheritance?
He does not retain his anger forever,
because he delights in steadfast love.
He will again have compassion on us;
he will tread our iniquities underfoot.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
(Micah 7:18-19 ESV)

Are the pieces of your life currently strewn all over the place? You can rest assured that God sees it as a “beautiful mess” and desires nothing more than to put your life back together.

Is your life currently a “beautiful mess”? What do you need to allow God to do to start putting your life back together?

Posted on September 13, 2012 In Personal Development , , , ,
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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=587785338 Lisa Roberts

    Great lesson Charlie, thank you.  A great reminder how God is always willing to lead us back to His plan for us, if we are willing.

    • http://www.charlielyons.ca/ Charlie Lyons

      Exactly, Lisa. God will lead us if we are willing.

      Thanks for commenting.

  • Royy

    Great encouragement

    • http://www.charlielyons.ca/ Charlie Lyons

       Thanks for your comment, Royy.

  • Pingback: Follow-up Observations and Top Posts for September 2012 | Charlie Lyons

  • http://glynisj.com/ Glynis Jolly

    I’m a personal fan of the word, mess. It isn’t earth-shattering but it does mean that things are not as they should be, whatever that is. Your son is wise way beyond his years. I hope he can keep things like this in his memory.

    • http://www.charlielyons.ca/ Charlie Lyons

      There are some things like this that I plan on reminding him of at different points of his growth, that’s for sure. Thanks for your comments, Glynis. Blessings!