Stained Glass Part 2

If you have ever watched a stained glass artist at work, you know. Often, getting those pieces of stained glass is painstaking...because sometimes the pieces must be cut to size. This can mean slicing into a whole sheet of glass -- one that many would argue is already "perfect". Or it can mean trimming down a broken piece into the shape it needs to be.
Both of these occur in life. Sometimes we are the full sheet -- thinking our lives are whole and at peace -- and this shalom is broken into by suffering, as God works in our lives through pain. Other times, we are the already grieving, broken pieces when our Creator reaches down to shave off, or even crack in half what remains.
Regardless, only after this hard work is done are we ready to be used in His masterpiece. And in the breaking we can find meaning and even joy because we know that He is preparing us to better display His light to the world.