Here in Montana, it is common for people to come to the mountains to look for part of themselves. Some even go as far to admit they are searching for healing. Something in nature draws our hearts and that something is beauty. Depending on where you live, mountains, valleys, or sea there is a reminder all around us.
Yet, true beauty never calls attention to itself. It is quiet in a way that we could walk right past it.
Real beauty is holy.
“God puts a little bit of eternity in the hearts of mankind so that we never settle for less.” (2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 5) We are restless and unsettled until we find the presence of true beauty. “God is a diadem of beauty for the faithful.” (Isaiah chapter 28 verse 5) “The lord’s favor is beautiful, and his fulfilled promises offer beauty for ashes.” (Isaiah chapter 61 verse 3)
To recognize beauty as the nature of God’s goodness and creativity, we must be able to recognize what is holy, or we will call something beautiful that is not and try to worship it.
Beauty leads to awe and inspiration.
The presence of God is beautiful, and it is holy.
Made to worship
There is a children's song that’s lyrics are “Be careful little eyes what you see, for the Father up above is looking down in love...” It’s not a great song in that it’s easy to interpret the Father as being ready to strike you dead if you do the wrong thing. We miss the kindness in the tone of the God quite often. The hidden truth inside of this song is that as humans, we were created to look, to love, and to worship. It’s a slippery slope when we ascribe beauty to anything apart from Him and it is quite harmful to us.
Furthermore, to God, we are the pinnacle of creation. Jesus’s death was beautiful. When God sees us, He sees what His Son did: a holy and public act of love. His breath catches and tears fill his eyes.
All we possess to pour out over the feet of Jesus as worship, in Heaven, is our testimony. Life is about trading death and its curses for the life of Jesus in us.
Overcoming shame
I once was a walking broken heart, lost in bitterness, fear and anger. Years ago, when I was about to graduate year 12, I was in a season where I had to choose amid hard circumstances to believe God over my feelings and my future hung in a balance. I buried my life and my emotions willing myself to carry on but never really dealing with those traumas or my emotions. Worst of all, I chose to be alone in the battle. I never knew I could ask for something and that God would help me, because all I knew was poverty.
How can I describe the instead that Jesus has given me?
He took off the shame I wore, he took the target off my back, the wrong beliefs I had about myself and Him, and he stripped the enemy of his power to hurt me. He gave me His peace and now that is where I fight my battles from. His truth shook the dust out of my soul.
Life’s a battle
The most harmful thing I ever did for myself was to tell the Lord He was not enough help for me.
That day I spoke that out I gave power and authority to the enemy. I chose to define what was good and beautiful for myself. I chose selfishness. I chose bitterness. I chose separation. While I never broke that relationship, I just shut God out of certain things. I wanted power because I felt powerless, and I wanted love because I felt betrayed. God had a blessing and healing even then for me and I missed it.
The great thing about God is that the minute we turn back, we get blessed. Time is irrelevant to Him.
Can I just say the self-ascribed beautiful things I settled for had fantasy as their foundations?! What harm comes when we choose a world or truth Jesus is not in.
Kindness that impacts
The Lord’s kindness is quite beautiful. It paints the picture of the divine God of love bowing low for a face to face to deal with the situation kindly.
When Philippians chapter 4 verse 8 gives the list of things our thought boundaries should be defined by, kindness is an unusually powerful word suggested. We all know fake kindness. That high pitched tone, and fake smile with a heart full of something else. God is not fake. His kindness is loaded with the Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. The kindness of the Lord has impact.
“Hey friend, this is actually really bad for you and I’d love for you to give it to me so you won’t have pain anymore. I’ll give you a better good. I’ll give you back your heart and your true self. I’ll be your helper. I’ll be like a father to you and you’ll never be alone.”
Kindness confronts with truth in love, it doesn’t sweep it under the rug. Kindness wants the real person, not the image they’ve created of themselves. Kindness brings restoration.
So, when people come looking for the mountains, I relate to the ache in their souls. I pray Jesus will give them life, and my hope is that they will come to know the kindness of the Lord. I know ultimately what brought them here, to a city on the edge of the wild was Jesus. Maybe out amongst the trees and the heights, they will walk among the beauty of God instead of just His creation.
Kalli Hendrickson is a Press Service International young writer from Brisbane and now in the USA.
Kalli Hendrickson was born in the beautiful State of Montana, USA. I work doing freelance Graphic Design, and am a part time art, design and marketing teacher. My passions include creativity and championing young people to be developed into their God given identity and potential. Rest looks like a exploring new places, dinner parties with friends, or a good coffee