Reshaped & Repurposed

Disappointment happens whenever reality is not aligned with our expectations. Could God have a bigger purpose in mind? The world is a different place.

A few weeks ago my days were filled with lesson plans, teaching, meetings and small groups. Lately my days have been filled with a new activity—making face shields for medical workers. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, our school, like other schools around the world has closed and moved to distance learning. However, just a few days in, the principal of our school initiated a project to make homemade face shields for medical workers. How? By finding unused foam puzzle mats in all of the empty classrooms, cutting them up and assembling the shields with plastic and elastic. Pretty soon, parents from the school started donating supplies.

Brand new packs of these foam puzzle mats started pouring in from donors. So we began cutting. I love these carpets, and would love to have one in my bedroom or living room. In some ways, it broke my heart to see brand new mats being cut up with a knife. But as I cut one, I realized that I wasn’t destroying a foam mat, but rather repurposing it. This mat was created for sitting, working, playing. But now, this mat had potential to be so much more. Expectations no longer in accordance with reality.

This mat, after a painful cutting and reshaping process, would go beyond serving as a tool for sitting and playing. Rather, it would be reshaped and repurposed for something greater—protecting the faces of hard working medical workers in this time of crisis.

As I cut mats, I found myself reflecting on my own life. I realized just how often this happens to us as children of God. I hold tightly to an expectation of what my life should be like—what I deserve, what I should be doing, who I want to be close to. But as we release our lives to the work of God, He very often brings us through a very painful process, with a greater purpose in mind. We feel disappointed because reality isn’t in accordance with our expectations. However, He has planned to repurpose us for something far beyond those expectations. He wants to use us to help others, and to achieve things for His Kingdom which we never could have dreamed of. We just have to be willing to be reshaped and repurposed.

By Wilson

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Wilson has served as a Mustard Seed field worker for the last nine years. She trains and mentors site leaders and has become a spiritual mother to many TransformNation students. This is her inspiring reflection, as she helped make face shields for healthcare workers.

Mustard Seed is dedicated to helping our field workers in providing for those directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. If God moves you today, would you prayerfully consider financially supporting those who are struggling?  

To learn more about how Covid-19 is impacting the lives of the children in Southeast Asia visit other articles on this website and donate at: https://mustardseed.org/donate-now/

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Any amount will make a difference in their lives. Thank you for your support and prayers.