God’s Masterpiece

This blog is written, primarily, with women in mind.  First, I’d like to welcome you to this journey of healing and victory over the effects of sexual assault, molestation, incest, or sexual abuse of any kind.  My heart’s desire is that as I share what I’ve learned that it will help you on your road to recovery and complete wholeness – SHALOM.

According to Strong’s Concordance 7965 Shalom means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.  Shalom means to be complete, perfect and full.

We will experience new heights as we focus on renewing our mind and becoming secure in our identity as Women of Victory Enjoying Newness – WOVEN in His Grace.

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

We are leaving the identity of being a victim, and taking hold of our identity in Christ as being victorious.  As we realize our true identity, then we can do the things God has planned for us.  What happened to us in the past was meant, by the enemy of our soul, to distort God’s plan for our life.  But thank God that Jesus is in the restoration business.  What was once considered to be a broken vase, that was shattered into hundreds of pieces, is now under the hand of our Creator and Artist, a beautiful masterpiece.  That’s me and that’s you when you yield your life and your brokenness to the hand of the Potter.

When a piece of art is being appraised for its value, one of the important steps in identifying its value is in verifying its authenticity.  This is oftentimes done by observing the flaws that the piece has obtained over time or possibly even created with.  Now God doesn’t make mistakes.  What we may see as an imperfection may very well be the thing that makes us unique and wonderful.

To truly understand what a masterpiece is worth, we watch to see what someone is willing to pay for it.  Even the auction houses, that sell rare works of art, are oftentimes amazed at what someone will pay beyond an estimated value. Well, the ultimate price was paid for you. God gave His very life in His Son,Jesus Christ.  You are the masterpiece that he purchased. The only caveat is that you have to allow Him to redeem you.  He won’t make you free unless you want to be.

The first step in being able to function as the masterpiece God created us to be is by grieving for that child, adolescent or young woman that had their “normal” life taken away at the hands of someone else.  We have no control over other people and we will deal with forgiveness in a future post.  But for now, I just want you to allow yourself to remember that child-person that you were before. The innocence before the hurt.  We will address grieving for that person on a future post. I want to be sure that we properly acknowledge the grief.

I’d like to encourage you to grab a notebook, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy, and participate in taking notes, answering some of the questions that I will put forth, write down some things to think about and also to journal your experience through this journey.  I believe you will be amazed after looking back through your journal to see how far you will have come.