What you do matters. Taking the time to appreciate and reflect on the work of your hands is something I think we, all too often, forget to do.
Whenever I finish a new project and all the dust has settled, I have this habit of staring at my finished work while saying nothing at all. My wife pokes fun at me about it because of how often she finds me doing it.
It’s almost like a ritual for me.
Bringing Ideas Into The Light
A project is not fully finished until I take the time to stand in silence, looking it over and taking in what I have just completed. I find myself going through all the steps I took to get to this point. The times where I didn’t think I would be able to finish and the early moments where all I had were ideas looking to be brought into the light.
It might sound silly, but this process is almost like going back and rewatching an old movie again just to discover something new each time I watch it.
10 Minutes Of Silence
Now, unfortunately, these moments don’t last very long for me until I’m right off into another project. I may stand there for 10 minutes saying nothing but inside my mind I’m letting the state of something being finished fill me with excitement for the next project.
I’m imagining how this new “thing” will work into the future and the sense of satisfaction it will bring me every time I pass by taking notice of not just what it is but the process and story involved into getting it to the point of where it is.
Reflecting On The Work Of Our Hands
It’s easy for us to work, labor and strive without ever taking time to stand in silence, look over our work and appreciate what our hands have played a part in creating.
We go to our jobs, we take care of our families, we endure hardships and sometimes we cry because of them. We rebel and we return, belly laugh with joy and our hearts break with silence, we imagine, dream and endure all sorts of things, we create and build but also dismantle and destroy…
Yet in all this doing we still have life and reason to stand in silence and look out over the wide open sea of our lives, look up to the stars and know that our Creator is actively reflecting on us and joining with us in building this story we call life.
Yes, God Also Took A Break To Remember
We often look over it but God himself took an entire day to look over all His creating and appreciate, imagine and dream about what it would become. He knew the story that would play out and the sacrifices He would have to make just to be with what He created.
Yet, in His time of reflecting over what His hands had made, it was clear His heart of love for us was stronger and more relentless than the hardships He would need to endure just to be with us.
You were created in a solemn reflection where the Creator stood in silence and said, “It is good.”
So, today, take time to stand in silence and reflect on the story of life.
Your life.
For some, that story may be filled with moments of sadness and for others, it may contain unspeakable joy. Be it joy or sadness, simply know you are loved and you’re not in either condition alone. You were created our of the deep heart of the Father and His relentless need for something to put His love into. You are that vessel. Take time to remember that.
Sanctity In The Silence
P.S. I also want to mention that all too often we spend our lives working and building but never taking the time to look back over what we have been a part of building. To take in the nuances and small subtleties that make it what it is. Don’t be this way. I know, because I all too often am moving so fast that I forget to remember. There is a sanctity to remembering things in the silence. Wherever you may be in your life, take time to take it all in.
