Your Life is a Canvas Waiting to be Painted

Art is much like life. The artist begins with a blank canvas. As he looks at the clean sheet of paper he gets to decide what to create. The only thing limiting him is his imagination and skill level. As he paints, if he decides that he doesn't like something he's drawn he can either go back and erase it and redraw it or he can throw it away and start over again with a new sheet of paper. But ultimately the artist gets to decide what gets painted on the canvas.

Once the artist has finished his masterpiece he then gets to share it with the world around him. Some will critique it, while others will admire it. The artwork will have different meanings and interpretations to those who see it, but the purpose of it is to inspire and pull out those parts of us that make the world a better place.

I can't imagine a world without art. Imagine those terrible brake ups without music to get you through or Rocky without the Eye of the Tiger music. Imagine a home with no paintings on the walls. No art would mean no movies or television. Forget line dancing at the wedding. Without art the world would be bleak and monotonous. Art makes the world a better place.

And what's beautiful about art is it's unique to the creator. It's also a reminder to us that the ultimate Creator created all of us as a piece of art as well, and He has given us this life as a blank canvas in which we all have the power to create masterpieces to make the world a better place.

I was reminded of this uniqueness and beauty on a trip to Dallas this past weekend. A friend and I were out to breakfast waiting to be seated when I started feeling this pull to this gentleman that was seating people. I wasn't sure if God had a word for him or not, so I began to silently pray in the spirit. As I began to pray I saw this guy painting on a blank canvas. We sat down to eat and the image kept coming to me. It wouldn't leave me alone. So, I excused myself from the table and told my friend I'd be right back.

I walked up to the guy. "Are you an artist?" He nodded. "Are you a painter?" I asked. He looked at me strange. "Yes, how do you know that?" I pulled him to the side.

"God showed me that you were a painter. I saw you painting on a canvas and He told me to tell you that He is painting the canvas of your life."

"How long have you been painting? I asked. "Four years. I started painting cartoon characters for troubled kids."

As we talked God began to show me more of his "canvas" of life.

"Before you paint begin to pray and ask God what He wants you to paint. He will give you specific things to paint for people. I see you painting prophetic works of art. You are going to paint paintings for people that have gone through some very difficult things in life....people that have fallen into hopelessness and despair. You are going to paint a canvas detailing a new future and beginning for them - the future that God had designed for them. And they will display this art in their homes to represent a new season of hope and destiny. Celebrities and people of great influence will seek you out for your paintings."

He was beaming from ear to ear. "This is wild." "I am so excited for you!" I said as I hugged him. "Write all this down so that when opposition comes against you, you will know what your future holds. Trust me. This is a word from God. I don't know if you are spiritual or believe in God or not, but He wants you to know that He sees you and He has a great plan for your life."

"I'm a bit of a back slider," he said. "Well, you know you don't have to stay that way, right?" He nodded. "We can pray right now for you to come back to Christ. Do you want to do that?" "Sure"

And right there in the front of the store with customers and workers walking past us and watching us we bowed our heads and Errington recommitted his life to Christ. There is nothing more exciting then seeing someone's spirit come to life when they realize that God Himself truly does see them and has a blank canvas that He is waiting for them to paint.

Maybe you've felt like you've messed up your life. Maybe you feel hopeless and in despair. Well, I am here to tell you that the beauty of each morning is that it is a blank canvas. You get to decide what you want to paint on your canvas today. Paint it with hope, life, encouragement and your uniqueness.

Your canvas was meant to be painted by you. You were never meant to be a carbon copy of someone else. There's a unique piece of art that is meant to be created by you. Maybe you've made some mistakes and you don't like what's been painted on your canvas. If so, apologize, make amends, forgive - do whatever you need to do to make that situation right.

If your painting is bland, put some color on it. Laughter, dancing like no one is watching, playing at the park with your kids, leaving a love note on the pillow of your loved one when they wake up, taking a night walk in the moonlight, paying for a stranger's coffee, visiting the elderly in a nursing home - these all add color to your paintings and make beautiful works of art to be displayed on your canvas.

Just remember, every day you get a new canvas. What do you want on your painting? It's your life. Your art. You're the artist. Paint something beautiful.