☼
My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He worketh steadily.
☼
Oftimes he weaveth sorrow,
And I know foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I, the underside.
☼
Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why.
☼
The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver’s skillfun hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned
☼
~ Author Unknown
~*~
~*~
In cleaning out my dad’s room, I found this old poem in one of his books. It was like finding an old friend. This poem is one of my favorites, because it reminds me that I am not God, I am not the center of the universe, and I am not all-knowing, all-seeing, or all-powerful! To seek to understand everything that happens in my life is a fool’s task. God is the only one who sees His plan from beginning to end. I do not. I must trust that, when I do see the final tapestry, it will take my breath away in its beauty, its complexity, and its rightness. If you’ve ever looked at the underside of a tapestry, you will know what I mean.
~*~
Today I challenge you to look at your beliefs, and see if you are looking (and critiqueing) by the underside of your tapestry (or anothers).
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doyoumeanwhatiknow 
Mar 30, 2012 @ 09:38:53
Hi Angie, I don’t deliberatly hurt people but I’m known to be up front, it is why my friends Trust me, so if you find it hard to take I’m sorry. The reason I explained this is because when I read something that is in opposition to Scripture then I do as God asks us to do, I correct it. This Poem which I have known for years is in contradiction to God’s Truth and His Nature which is 100% Love and was probably written by those who believe God does evil to bring good out of it, which the Bible tells us is slander.
Yes God disciplines us by letting us do what we want when it is in opposition to His guidelines, He does not go against our free will and so we suffer by separating ourselves from Him because of walking in sin, just like the Prodigal son did but he came to his senses and so will we if we are a Child of God who is redeemed from Eternity. God then moulds and shapes us by The Fruit of The Spirit as we choose to walk in them with His empowering
Angie when was the last time you sat down and planed evil for your Children or worked out how you could make them suffer so they would learn your the boss or organised some hardship for them , to teach them what they need to know. Do you Love more then God? He is Love and Love does not plan evil or willingly allow it or hurt the ones He Loves.
Lamentations 3: 33 For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
Isaiah 43:1-3 – Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.”
Jeremiah 29 :11-12 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Christian Love Anne
Mar 30, 2012 @ 10:39:32
Anne, I understand why you see the poem as saying that, but I believe it is not saying that at all. The point is not God doing evil, creating evil, or anything like that. He knows it is coming, and He allows it to happen for His own purposes. Just as we allow our children to suffer the consequences for their sins so they will learn. What kind of parent would not discipline their child or allow their child to suffer natural consequences out of love for the child.
I don’t believe God causes evil – He couldn’t if He wanted to because it is against His nature. We chose evil and do every time we sin. Our sufferings are not from God at all. They are usually the result of our own or someone else’s sin nature. Sin has consequences.
For me the point of the poem (and maybe I didn’t explain it well) is that God allows suffering or consequences at times in our lives. He could make our lives all hunky dory if He wanted, but He knows that is not good for us and will not bring us closer to Christ-like-ness. Does that make sense? I am more than willing to discuss it with you. I appreciate honesty very much. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Maybe it will be an expansion post soon 🙂 Angie
Mar 30, 2012 @ 10:48:39
The dark things of life, caused by evil forces and/or our own wilful natures, point us to Christ. Satan’s intent is to make us curse God (like he did to Job…). But the glorious thing is that (for those who have ears to hear and eyes to see) this thing that the evil one meant for bad, points us to God instead. I don’t blame God at all for the hard things in my life. When I tell my “God stories”, they are always full of the wondrous things God did along the way, not the hardships I endured. Really, our differences here, are a matter of semantics and viewing the same thing in a different light. I apologize if I ever gave the impression that I think God causes the evil around us. He does not. But I thank Him that He doesn’t always stop it either, but allows it to work out His purpose in our lives. That said, I can’t wait till the day there will be no more evil!!!!! Angie
Mar 30, 2012 @ 11:49:19
Hi Angie I believe we agree on a lot of Truth but the Scriptures tell us God does not willingly allow us to suffer but He knows we will if we choose to disobey Him and we all do our disobedience grieves Him. Do you want to see your children do the wrong thing, do you encourage it ?.do you agree with those who deliberately hurt them, do you willingly allow it God tries to stop us but we don’t listen to His warning.
In our courts of law if you willingly allow crime or lets say evil you are judged as being an accessory, it is not God’s will we suffer it”s our free will rebelling that does it and others sin. Satan has the right to test like Job as you said, but God brings good from it and strengthens us through it. The Scriptures tell us is patient not wanting anyone to perish but for all His Children to come to heart repentance this is why He has not yet put a stop to all evil but will soon.
As for not understanding the things of God 1 Corinthians 2 : 9-16 shows us we will as do other Scriptures, you can’t have the mind of Christ and not know your daddy or Abba Father or have His wisdom and not understand His Truth.
Christian Love Anne.
Mar 30, 2012 @ 12:27:18
Anne, I think that’s what I was trying to say. God does not, could not, cause evil. He does not willingly make us go through things…. He allows it, just as a good parent allows the child to take the natural consequences for his/her actions. And, I know in my case, when something bad is coming my way, He prepares me, wraps His arms around me, and takes me through it. It’s not about Him choosing or creating or making the evil, it’s about Him being there when the evil comes. No parent wants their children to hurt, but we allow it when necessary for the good of the child. God is good, not evil — PERIOD. He uses the evil that comes to bring good into our lives. He does allow those dark threads in the tapestry of our lives because they point us to Him and our deep need of Him. Did that make more sense? Angie
Mar 30, 2012 @ 12:41:11
You don’t allow it Angie, it happens, if you see your child in danger you try to stop them from being hurt not allow it or are you a Sadist. God did His upmost to warn us in the past, He sent the Prophets, He gave us His written word and laws but in the end He had to send Jesus to rescue us but no one would listen to Him, it broke God’s heart to see His beloved Son suffer like He did and then to be seperated from Him because of our sin, both hurt deeply they had never been seperated before they were one in The Godhead.
You do not allow your children to suffer it’s their choice.
Christian Love Anne.
Mar 30, 2012 @ 17:06:37
You don’t allow it Angie, it happens, if you see your child in danger you try to stop them from being hurt not allow it or are you a Sadist. God did His upmost to warn us in the past, He sent the Prophets, He gave us His written word and laws but in the end He had to send Jesus to rescue us but no one would listen to Him, it broke God’s heart to see His beloved Son suffer like He did and then to be seperated from Him because of our sin, both hurt deeply they had never been seperated before they were one in The Godhead.
You do not allow your children to suffer it’s their choice.
I am not talking about danger at all, Anne. I am talking about discipline or consequences for actions committed (or not committed). Of course we try to stop them from having to go through things. We teach them, we nag them, we watch them, but if they make a bad choice, we allow the consequences (not too bad ones) to teach them. If we do not, they will not ever understand that their actions have consequences. That is not sadism, it is discipline. In this case I again think it is a matter of semantics. We mean the same thing but say it differently. God does allow things to happen to us. They could not happen if He said no. He doesn’t bring them, but sometimes He lets us go through them. I’m not sure we’re talking about the same thing at all, because I’m not talking about allowing your child to be hurt by running into the street… of course you try to stop it! However, if you have a child who continues to run into the street, you will come up with a less fatal consequence to give them (spanking, grounding, etc.) so they don’t have to learn the hard way. The dark times are not always about discipline either. They are often the result of someone else’s bad choices.
Turned on TV today and that guy was on who has no arms and legs. He said something profound that I thought really fit with this debate. He said, God never lets a circumstance go unused (or something like that). He doesn’t cause them, but He uses them to bring good to us. We might try everything in our power to stop our child from touching a hot stove, but if he does, we will certainly use that to teach him so he never does it again. I enjoy a good (NICE) debate:) Angie
Mar 30, 2012 @ 17:10:31
BTW – I think I understand your objection to the poem. By definition, a weaver chooses the threads to make his tapestry. That would imply that God chooses to put those dark places in our lives. I would totally disagree with that for sure. He knows what we will go through, but He would keep us from it if He could. Instead He takes those dark threads and adds the golden… ones to create something beautiful out of what was intended for bad.
I do not look at the poem that way, so I missed that little tidbit. I’m still a fan of the poem if you look at it wholistically and not specifically, but I see your point. Angie 😀
Mar 30, 2012 @ 17:38:12
One last Truth I will repeat Angie in answer to us not knowing the things of God, I will use Scripture to confirm that we will know what is needed, as I said before you can’t have the mind of Christ and not know your daddy or Abba Father or have His wisdom and not understand His Truth.
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that Love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with Spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are Spiritually discerned. But he that is Spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the Mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? but we have the Mind of Christ.
John 15:14-15 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.(KJV)
Matthew 10:26-28 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops (KJV)
Please check out the Link below Angie – I Love you in The Lord or as I mainly say – Christian Love Anne.
http://alifeofhopeandjoy.wordpress.com/category/woman-of-kingdom-wisdom/
Mar 30, 2012 @ 22:36:18
“us not knowing the things of God,”. If I said that I sure didn’t mean it that way. God always gives us what we need when we need it, including wisdom. I was talking about us not fully understanding until we see Him as He is. That is in scripture too. I absolutely did not mean that in any other way. I’m sorry for the misunderstandings. In Him, Angie 🙂
Mar 30, 2012 @ 09:39:31
This is such a beautiful poem and I love that you always end up your posts with a question/a challenge. I’m thinking about that just now. Off for a walk to ponder – I suspect I do view the underside of the tapestry and I need to trust more that I don’t always see the beautiful side of the tapestry but that it is there. Thank you.
Mar 30, 2012 @ 10:42:08
Thank you. It’s so hard for us to rise above our human understandings and see things as God sees them. I suspect this struggle stays with us throughout life. God does say that no one understands. Some day we will see Him as He is and gain clarity. In the meantime, the name of the game is faith. Enjoy your walk. Angie
Mar 31, 2012 @ 22:17:53
Well, I had to re-read the poem after reading the comments to figure out where the misunderstanding was. Scripture does tell us that God disciplines those He loves. In the case of Job, Satan got permission from God to test Job, but God was in control because He is God. But, in any case, that poem didn’t give the impression of some evil designer intentionally harming someone. I understood it to be the work of a wonderful maker who takes the chaos of life, often of our own doing, and makes something orderly and beautiful out of it.
Mar 31, 2012 @ 22:32:55
Thank you, Derek. That’s how I see it as well. I was attempting to understand where Anne was coming from. I’m still not sure we reached a consensus, but that’s OK. It’s good for me to have to defend myself every now and again. 🙂
May 31, 2012 @ 17:21:59
Jun 01, 2012 @ 20:30:12
Thank you for sharing my article 🙂 Angie