The Blank Canvas

It can stare you down waiting to be marked on.

Fear. 

Doubt. 

Perfectionism.

It all starts to creep in to the point that the blank canvas in front of you remains blank, empty and without vision.

“Where do I start?” 

“I don’t want to mess it up.”

“I’m not sure I’m equipped enough...”

“I don’t want to disappoint”

These are lies that can easily overwhelm a thought process and then you become stuck.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

The enemy will do anything to distract and cause you to put off who you were created to be. 

What is a blank canvas in your life right now? 

Is it a dream that you’ve tucked away so no one can see it? 

Is it a gift set that you’ve yet to put out there? 

Is it the walls in your home that needs to be filled with truth to encourage you and your family daily? 

Is it a relationship in your life that needs restoration? 

Faith. 

Movement. 

Action. 

The first marks on a blank canvas can be the hardest to make.

If you’re like me, it’s easy to seek after and focus our mind on the finished product. Doing this can lead us to missing out on the process where some of the most depth and beauty can be found. 

“There are two paths before you; you may only take one path. One doorway is narrow. And one door is wide. Go through the narrow door. For the wide door leads to a wide path, and the wide path is broad; the wide, broad path is easy, and the wide, broad, easy path has many, many people on it, but the wide, broad, easy, crowded path leads to death. Now then that narrow door leads to a narrow road that in turn leads to life. It is hard to find that road. Not many people manage it.” Matthew 7:13-14

When you step out and begin making marks on your canvas, God can use you as a vessel to share His love with others in a way that is unexpected, beautiful and brings incredible opportunities. 

This becomes the narrow road. 

This becomes against the grain. 

This becomes vulnerable and unpredictable. 

This becomes God working in ways that we can’t even dream up.

Every season brings its moments of hard. 

We can expect that. 

There are countless examples in the Bible that share the journey of hard. Some include Paul, Gideon, Abraham, Jonah, Joshua, Daniel and the list could go on.  

Each day is a gift and a new opportunity to add to your canvas and trust that Jesus can use you. 

There are going to be great days where keeping focused can be easy but there are days that the flesh fights and sin takes over. 

There will never be a day we reach perfection until we meet Jesus face to face in heaven. 

As long as you let the canvas in front of you to stay blank, you will miss out on the possibilities of being a part of something beautiful and bigger than you. 

You never know what could be.

Once you make that first mark, every mark after that has meaning and adds depth and texture and movement that false perfection will never offer.

Wherever this might find you today, my encouragement to you is to dig deep and respond to the Creator of heaven in what He’s called you to. 

What road are you venturing down? 

Is it with the crowd down the wide path or is it the narrow way? 

What are some things in your life that may be good but getting in the way of great? 

Beauty surrounds you every way you look through seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and even smelling. 

May today be a sweet reminder wherever you are in your journey to either make that first mark or continue making marks on your canvas so that it can become something great in His perfect timing. 

We need you and what you have to offer.