The Collage of the Heart

On a recent trip to Seattle, I was impressed by the remarks of a young man who spoke to his fellow classmates at graduation. He stated that he was a collage made up of all the people he knew and proceeded to name each person stating what impact they had on his life. This young man was very wise for his years.

We seldom take the time to meditate on who we are and how we were/are shaped by the people around us. Each person in our life brings a small bit of themselves that helps to shape our hearts into a collage – fragments of other people.

Lilly Pads

The experiences vary – love, rejection, trust, mistrust, laughter, pain, sorrow, healing, anxiety, anticipation, temptation, hope, failure, disappointment, joy – the list goes on.

Each experience brought to my heart by people whose own hearts have been “collaged.”

I could list each person I know by name and what they have brought to my life but perhaps it’s better to let them know directly, one by one, of the piece they have helped to form my collaged heart with.

We normally focus on the good attributes of what is brought into our hearts. But I believe bad can also be good.

Negative and difficult experiences help make me stronger because I learn to bend and stretch as my heart grows in patience and perseverance. Every day I am a better person because of experiences given to me (knowingly or unknowingly) from another person’s collaged heart.

There is One who I will credit for allowing these experiences to form the collage in my heart – always interceding whether through people or through Himself directly – My Father in heaven. For He allowed all these people to be in my life. And …

  • He allowed me to experience rejection so that I may know acceptance
  • Sadness so that I may know joy
  • Death so that I may know life
  • Turmoil so that I may experience peace
  • Failure so that I may know victory
  • He taught me to lean only on Him – the Creator of my humanity.

My collaged heart is grateful today.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28


 

 

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