You have heard enough news about the coronavirus. We are going to take a different approach to where we are all at right now: a return to beauty. When people hear the term “beauty,” they often associate it with beauty products and preparing for a date. This is not the type of beauty that I am referring to. To look for beauty, we have to look upward.
Beauty is found in God. This sounds so simple and full of common sense and yet we miss it. God created the world and when He was creating it, He stated that it was good. Take note that He did not say it was okay or all right. God said it was good.
We do not often notice beauty because we have been fed so much artificial stuff. Our lives are spent in front of screens … TV, computer, phones … and we do not detach. Commercials tell us that we are not __________ enough. We read some books and they tell us only if we did _______ more. This is so AGAINST what the Bible says about how we find life, beauty, and restoration. Look at what Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus’ heart is gentle and humble. This is the same Jesus who took a gruesome, R-rated beating on the cross and died for us. Jesus will give us REST. What does rest have to do with beauty? Everything! We often have difficulty looking for beauty because we are exhausted. We need to find life and rest in Jesus. Once we stop approaching Jesus like He has these unrealistic expectations for us, we will find rest.
A restored soul can easily find beauty. Go for a walk and use your phone only to take pictures of God’s Creation. Use sidewalk chalk and allow your adult self to have some fun creating. Enjoy time planting something outside. If you do not want to have the upkeep of a garden, use some pots and soil, and plant some vegetables or flowers.
Why is a return to beauty so important to you? Because you were made to create and not just stare at a screen. You are a part of God’s Story and you are needed! This week, return to rest and you will find beauty. Your experience may even be life-changing!
Copyright 2020 Jason Weirich
This article was originally published at CatholicMom.com and is shared here with permission.
