The whole picture

Abbie Meyer
Jul 28, 2016
4 min read

“If God’s glory is His ultimate purpose, this shifts everything about how we view Him. When we stumble into the easy mistake of thinking that God is about us or His purpose is solely to do our will and bidding, it makes Him so small.” –Jess Connelly, Wild and Free book

Honest time: I enjoy when things are about me. This is difficult for me to admit, because it exposes some of the yuck in my heart. I wish people could describe me as wildly humble, but I don’t think they can. I have to press pause often because I like to talk more than I like to listen. I like writing my own story, because then I can write myself in as the main character. So when I read these words, they hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course, I have never for a second truly believed that it was all about me. Every ounce of me longs to live into the freedom where everything I do, I do only for God’s glory, taking the backseat and praising Him. But lots of days, I just feel really selfish because I want to write my own words too.

I want to be honest about this because maybe you feel like this too.

It’s so easy to put those who speak loudly for our Lord on a pedestal. I struggle when people give me praise on what I write because I know what is running through their minds, and I am not that. One of the truest things I can say about myself in full certainty is that only good in me comes when I walk in the Spirit. Lately, I’ve noticed myself at times trying to force God into doing what I want Him to do (insert all the laughing face and monkey see no evil emojis). I told my husband the other day that I felt that God wasn’t providing. He hadn’t given Cal a job yet, and I was tired of feeling like we were lacking. Cal responded by challenging me to look at what God has been giving us.

Looking outward, I saw that the Lord was providing perfectly, it was simply not in the way that I preferred.

Last week I was visiting my best friend in Denver, Colorado. Since I was a pre-teen, I have been enthralled with the beautiful state of Colorado. Two of my best friends have moved out there in my 25 year life span, and my parents, both holding a deep regard for the outdoors, often brought us vacationing in the mountains growing up. Needless to say, Colorado feels like a home away from home for me. One evening last week, while we were driving back to the city from hiking all day, I glanced out the window and was immediately awe-struck by the beauty of the sky. What drew me in was the vast blue and the large of the white. The sun shown golden through the clouds and the blueness of the sky peaked boldly around the wispy white. It was as if the whole sky was swallowing us up. I snapped a quick picture of moment, hoping to remember how small I felt looking out the window, clouds as big as the mountains. Later on, when I was going through pictures of the trip, I noticed that there were small shadows of trees in the bottom of that shot I took while we were zooming along the mountainous highway that day. I didn’t notice them at first. They were small, and seemingly insignificant at the time. But they are not unnecessary. They added to the ambiance and accentuate the expanse of the sky. They are part of the picture, but they aren’t what makes it beautiful.

To me, this picture signifies everything the Spirit has been so gently trying to teach me. God represents the sky, and we are the little trees. It’s not about us. We are only a tiny piece of the picture, but the picture wouldn’t be as beautiful without us in it. We are here not to draw attention to our small roles, but to show the immeasurable splendor of our Father.

Our beauty comes from radiating the majesty of our Lord. Created in His image, we are significant, but we will never be the most important. We get to be apart of the picture, but we will never be what makes it most beautiful.

Time and time again my tendency is to selfishly look to myself. But, my Dad is a much better author than I will ever be. He's not held by the restraints that we give him. His purpose is for His glory, and for His glory He lavishes us with gifts. I warn you not to fall into the trap that I sometimes do. It is not about you. It never was, and it never will be. We are simply a tiny pencil used to write a tiny portion of His love letter to the world. When we fall into the dangerous game of thinking the love story is only directed for us and for our glory, we miss how big our God is. Our hearts become selfish, and we stop trusting because we realize He is not going to fit the mold we so carefully put him in. He loves you so tenderly, so fiercely, so dearly- but it is not for the purpose of your glory, but for His. He forgives for His glory, not yours. He will take care of you for His glory, not yours. He died for His glory, not yours.

I'm a 25 year old living out of the abundance of Jesus' unending grace and mercy. I thrive off of deep vulnerability and connection with others, while striving to live into the call of outpouring encouragement onto others. Often described as feisty, passionate, talkative, and compassionate, I am ENFJ through and through. You'll most likely find me training for a race, handlettering or painting, whipping up a new healthy and whole recipe in the kitchen, singing worship songs at the top of my lungs in my car, or watching the Office with my husband. What do I love most? Pretty light, hearing people's stories of redemption, peonies, my husband's smile, white walls, and the smell of rain.