Repurposed Grief

Can anything good come out of this pain?

Just take a look at all the creative things people are doing these days to re-purpose humanity’s garbage.  People are creating beauty out of refuse; jewelry from empty bullet shells, purses and belts from soda can openers, plastic bottles are turned into exotic lamps, an old phone book into a desk top pencil caddy.  But the truly stunning masterpieces are the music and art that comes out of the landfill.Somebody has figured out ways to do all kinds of creative things with repurposed trash.  If we can be that creative, is it possible that God is even more creative with our pain, grief, and bereavement?  If we believe that God created the world to begin with, can we believe he is creative enough to make something beautiful from our brokenness? Let’s not allow God to have less power to create than human beings.  Can we let God be God and look for the ways he is even now creating something lovely or useful from our loss? Let’s consider that it is as natural for him to create as it is for him to love.I think of a person by the name of Wilma in the book entitled, David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell.  She forgave the man who brutally murdered her daughter and by that act continues to positively influence others through her loss and the beauty of forgiveness that shines like a masterpiece of healing and hope to others. Her story was even instrumental in the author rediscovering his faith in God. The question is: do we believe God is capable, able and willing to bring something beautiful out of our pain?   If we can answer yes to this, we are on the way to discover a hope that something good, better, or useful will come out of the wreckage of our broken hearts.To see what a few children are doing to make beautiful music from their land fill, check out this web site http://www.wimp.com/orchestratrash/