The Non-Existence of Picture Perfect

 

Do you know that phrase "picture perfect"? It's a phrase that is normally used to describe the weather of the day.  "Oh, it's just such a picture perfect day, isn't it? 60 degrees and not a cloud in the sky!" , a couple that seems to have it all "Aren't they just a picture perfect couple? They look so good together." or on a greater scale, some body's entire life. " She has such a picture perfect life. She owns her own company, is financially well off, is thin, beautiful, has a husband who loves her and two of the sweetest children you could ever meet."

I've decided to take the phrase "picture perfect" out of my vocabulary, because it doesn't exist. Now, one could argue that you might as well take the words "fairy, "Never Never Land" and Mermaid" out of your vocabulary as well because they too, obviously do not exist. However, it should be stated that the location in our brain where logic takes place can clearly identify that a human with a fish tail who lives under the sea does not match up with reality, but it is also just as clear that the phrase "picture perfect" does not prompt such a logical response from the brain; instead, it subconsciously communicates to us that we are to do what we can to obtain this description, and that this description falls under the realm of "good, positive and happy". All adjectives in which we hope to be or become.

With tears of frustration and anger spewing out all over the place, I muttered these words: "This isn't how I pictured it. This is NOT how I pictured things to be." Over the course of the next several days, those tears and anger continued to come, and I simply could not put a stop to it. It didn't feel natural, normal or "right" as a Christian to tell God that "this isn't how I pictured it". With every session of tears and every imperfect, muttered prayer to God, He gently and quietly whispered a truth to my heart.

"Sarah, this isn't how you pictured it. But this is how I pictured it. Let me put your picture together"

As followers of Jesus Christ, there is no such thing as picture perfect.Picture perfect indicates that it is how we would like it to look, howwe would like to feel. It has "I" at the center of the vision, when God is and will always be the only one to see the big picture. The last time I checked "I" was never at the heart of being a Christian, so I've decided that the phrase "picture perfect" is just a sly ,clever, idealized way for satan to influence God's children to make it about them.

Trust God with the camera. Let him choose the scenery, the lay out, the colors and the props. Trust His timing for the best time to capture the right image. Trust God with the big picture.