Focus on the Beautiful, Not the Ugly

I'm happy it's a new week. Last week was rough. I had 2 migraines last week, plus I struggled with three of my other personal "demons": insomnia, anxiety and the blues. I think probably all 4 were brought on by a recent horrifying story which was reported in the local (and national) news. The details of the story are the stuff of nightmares so I will keep the synopsis brief: in a nutshell, a serial killer was living among us here in the Atlanta area. His latest (and last) victim was a young, lovely woman out for a hike with her Black Lab on New Years Day. She was kidnapped, held for 3 days, and then murdered.

I hate the fact that we live in a world where people like this killer exist.

I hate the fact that human evil seems to thrive, and that a wonderful young woman with so much potential is now gone.

I want to ask God WHY did he allow this to happen? WHERE was he when this was happening? HOW does he allow heinous things like this to happen to a person who was just starting to live her life?

But of course, this is part of life's mystery. I don't know the answers to these questions. No ones does. This is where faith must come in, and we must simply believe, without the benefit of understanding.

One day, everything will be made clear to us . I believe that, although at times it seems to fly in the face of logic.

The best analogy I heard on the topic of "Faith Despite (Seeming) Facts" was this:

Life is like a tapestry. The "side" of the tapestry that we humans get to see is the back side, with all the threads poking out, haywire and askew. It's ugly, haphazard, makes absolutely no sense and doesn't seem to follow any rhyme or reason. To look at the back side of a tapestry, you would think it's only garbage and certainly not a work of art. God, however, works from the front side. He is busy weaving a magnificent work of art that we are all a part of. Each one of us is a thread within his tapestry. One day, not in THIS world, but one day, we will get to see the side of the tapestry that God sees, and the amazing completed work that he has done, and it will be the most incredible, beautiful and complete masterpiece imaginable.

Until then, we have to simply trust and believe. And so, I cling to my faith. And I pray, and I hope, and I believe God, despite the evil that sometimes seems to thrive in our world. And I try to focus on what is pure, right and beautiful in the world.

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. - Phillippians 4:8, The Message