Finding Beauty in the Imperfect

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory!” Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)

“Beauty awakens the soul to act.” Dante Alighieri

 

  • Make time to spend with the Lord today! Curl up in your favorite spot and seek the Lord’s presence. Pray that He will meet you where you are and open your eyes to see the truth of His Word.
  • Read through Colossians 3:1-4 and Romans 8:18-25. Write down Colossians 3:2 in your journal and ask the Lord to help you set your mind on the things that are important to Him. Ask Him for an eternal perspective in your pursuit of beauty.

Finding Beauty in the Imperfect

We long for beauty. That is why print and online media, such as Pinterest, are so popular. We long for beauty in our homes, in nature, and in ourselves. We enjoy the beauty in art, music, and story. God is the great Creator of beauty. I believe that when we long for beauty in our lives, we are longing for Him—for the perfection we will have in Heaven where “we will be like him because we will see him as he is” (1 John 3:2b CSB).

I used to daydream of going to Italy and living in a beautiful home, riding my bike into town each day with a basket on the front filled with fresh fruit and bread from the market. In this dream, I also knew how to speak Italian fluently, of course. At times, this dream became an idol of sorts, a place I would go to “escape” from the difficulties of life. One day the Lord showed me that the longing for this “perfect and beautiful escape” was really a longing for Him. This was a great encouragement to me. It led me to meditate on Colossians 3:2 (NASB), which says to “set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

Romans 8:20-21 (ESV) says, “creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Even the beauty of nature that we enjoy has been dimmed by sin in the world. Romans 8:22 (ESV) says, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” We can get discouraged when our quest for beauty in our homes (or in ourselves) falls short. Instead of being discouraged, we need to be reminded that this world is not our home and that the whole creation is groaning and even we ourselves groan as we wait eagerly for the redemption of our bodies. And so, we hope for what we do not see. We wait for it with patience (Romans 8:23-25).

So, even in all of this imperfection, we can create beauty as a signpost of what is to come. Our creations should point those in our lives to the true, lasting beauty that can only be found in Christ. We should pursue beauty with our children, enjoy the beauty of the arts and nature with them, and show them how these things reflect the beauty of our Creator. As quoted above by Dante, “Beauty enables the soul to act.” A focus on the beautiful in our homes and in our lives should reflect our focus on our Creator, who enables us to act, to move forward, and to embrace the imperfect.

Blessings and Love,

Carmen

Questions to Ponder

  • How does your pursuit of beauty in your home or in yourself create discouragement at times? Can you refocus your pursuit of beauty in a way that gives you an eternal perspective and a hope?

Faith-Filled Ideas

Pick one of your favorite places of beauty, whether in the arts, nature, or a story, and share it with your children. Look for and show them how that beauty is a reflection of our great Creator and the greater beauty of the gospel in our lives.

Carmen Brown
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One Comment on “Finding Beauty in the Imperfect”

  1. “I believe that when we long for beauty in our lives, we are longing for Him—for the perfection we will have in Heaven where ‘we will be like him because we will see him as he is'” Yes! Carmen I love this! I have never thought of beauty this way and this study has given a whole new perspective! That passage you mentioned in Romans really stood out to me… that I need to remember that the futility in creation and in the beauty I seek is only because we are longing for heaven, because we are waiting for perfect beauty in our forever home with our Savior. Lo e this new realization!! Thank you! And praise God for always speaking new things through familiar scripture!!

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