What If You Don't Have to Get It Right?
Soon, I will share a blog post about the painting that was originally intended as a gift for one of my aunts. She has high standards, and somewhere along the way, I became afraid that she might not like what I was making for her. I became frustrated in the process and found myself painting from a place of frustration rather than love. Have you ever done that?
I had painted pansies before, but I wasn't satisfied with my first attempt. Eventually, I decided to throw it away and start again.
Looking back, I find that decision strangely connected to the subject of the painting. I was trying to get to the finished result before allowing myself to remain in the process.
The second attempt became something different. I still struggled—not only with the painting, but also with finding words for what I was painting. I asked my art mentor for her thoughts and spent time trying to understand the symbolism myself.
Eventually, underneath all the explanations, I came back to one simple word: soak.
We understand soaking in ordinary life. Dirty clothes may be soaked before washing, allowing what has accumulated to loosen. Food can be soaked or marinated before cooking, allowing flavour to penetrate more deeply.
Soaking takes time. It is preparation. It is a process of allowing something to penetrate more deeply. Perhaps our spiritual lives are like that too.
I wanted Soak: Room of Transformation to be a space where the viewer can pause and ask a personal question.
What If You Don't Have to Get It Right?
So perhaps the question isn't:
“Where is my butterfly—the beautiful transforming experience?”
Perhaps the right question is:
“Where is my place of soaking?”
A place where I can stop performing.
A place where I don't have to be perfect.
A place where I can be still in God's presence.
A place where something new can quietly begin.
And perhaps an even simpler question:
Where might I need to simply soak for a while?
I can truly say that I have been in the same shoes. Thank you for the reminder that sometimes we just need to soak before moving forward. Wait on the Lord!