I read this a few weeks back and simply had to share with you:
The city of Brussels is known for its exquisite lace. In the famous lace shops, there are certain rooms devoted to the spinning of the finest and most delicate patterns. These rooms are altogether dark, except for the light from one tiny window that falls directly upon the pattern. Only one spinner sits in the darkened room in the very place where the narrow stream of light falls upon the threads of his weaving. Lace is always more delicately and beautifully woven when the worker himself is in the dark and only his pattern is in the light.
As God weaves His pattern into the fabric of our lives, sometimes we sit in a “darkened room.” The darkness seems suffocating. We can’t understand what He’s doing and can’t discover any possible good in the darkness. Yet, if we fix our focus on our faithful Weaver, we will someday know that the most exquisite work of all our life was done in those days of darkness. As I look back over my life, my deepest intimacy with Him has come from the dark times. The lessons He has burned into my heart when the black clouds hovered are the ones that have calmed my anxious heart.
Yes, faith is difficult, but our faith pleases our Holy God (Hebrews 11:6), and we do not walk the path alone… . (from Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow)
Then this week, a dear friend texted me after reading a post from a few weeks back about the definition of multiple sclerosis.
Multiple means many and sclerosis refers to the scars left on the protective coating after it has been damaged.
(from The Electrifying Story of Multiple Sclerosis)
What she said was somehow so comforting:
“I was just reading your blog and can’t stop thinking what MS means. Multiple Scars…I think of my life and think, wounds start first. Before the scar forms. If the scar never forms, the wound never heals…but it never looks like it used to…
MS is a picture of this. God’s goodness and grace and mercy healing our wounds, changing us forever so we can glorify Him and serve Him and understand more and more… .”
I know that it is at times hard to see God in the darkness--when our wounds are fresh and open. But I pray today that you will see His abundant mercies in the scars—how He brought you out on the other side. Or if you are still in the dark—that you will take comfort in knowing the precious Weaver does not make mistakes. May we remember some of His most beautiful weaving is happening in the dark. Perhaps when we get to the finish line and look back at the beautiful pattern of lace He has weaved for us, we might see the scars are the most exquisite and perfect details of all.