Sea Glass Faith

The Lord isn’t slow to do what he promised, as some people think. Rather, he is patient for your sake...
-2 Peter 3:9

It’s summertime, and millions of people will find their way to a coastline this month.
Have you ever walked along the beach or a riverbank and found an old piece of glass that has been submerged for months or years, tossed about in the currents?

“Sea glass” is formed over time from fragments of old bottles, glass litter, and even shipwrecks. And people really go crazy collecting this stuff. It’s an interesting phenomenon: collecting pieces of trash and turning them into jewelry or decorations for their beach-themed bathrooms. It’s weird, but I think I’m a fan.

When I saw a picture from a friend with a piece of sea glass recently, it struck me as a holy image. Sea glass is a metaphor for the faith experience of so many people.

Each piece of sea glass goes on a distinct journey. At one point, it was shiny and crystal clear—but it was also dangerously sharp. Then, because it was broken, and because it tumbled down and reached the bottom of the surf or riverbed, it began to be transformed. Yes, the perfect clarity may have faded away. But so did the razor-sharp edges. And a slightly new shape emerged. The transformed glass is the same core substance it’s always been, but now there’s an inviting smoothness to it. It may not be as clear on the outside anymore, but it’s become far more valuable to people, and more beautiful. And it certainly is not able to cause the same type of harm that it once could.

Over time, brokenness leads to beauty. Every pieces tells a story. 

The journey toward Jesus is often like sea glass. Things can feel crystal clear early on. When we grow up within Christian faith, or even come to Jesus as adults, things often seem clear and easy. Interpreting the Bible seems straightforward and simple. The way God works is predictable. And our personal views and experiences are what every faithful person should hold!

This sort of certainty can also come with really sharp edges. We can become closed off to hearing others’ perspectives (or the whisper of God). We can harm others by insisting they are wrong rather than asking good questions. And in our perfect clarity, we can easily become arrogant and judgmental of those who think differently or do not share the same convictions. 

But eventually, things start to break down. Our crystal-clear faith gets beaten up a bit. Some things we once had clarity on become less obvious (“Prayer doesn’t work exactly like it was promised to me!?!”). Where we once saw only black and white, we now realize there are many shades (“Multiple people I trust disagree on what this passage means! Is one of them evil??”). And life’s circumstances cause us to release control (“I thought that God would reward me for my good behavior, but then tragedy hit my family.”)

It’s a painful process, this tumbling. This is also known as being human. But it's also where we finally encounter the grace of Jesus. And if we don't give up, there is immense beauty on the other side.

Rigid certainty will give way to humble love. Perfect understanding of God will become less important than relational connection with God, in Jesus. Shiny exteriors are no longer necessary to keep up. And we realize that trusting God is not ultimately about transaction, but about relationship.

And those razor-sharp edges? Jesus has a way of sanding down our arrogance and superiority complexes over time. Instead of being dangerous to those around us, our humble faith can become an invitation for others to experience God's goodness.

I recently heard a Christian leader suggest that maybe we need to stop writing books titled "Four Easy Steps to Spiritual Growth" and instead make them a bit more honest, like "How to Become More Like Jesus in 75 Challenging Years."  
Preeeeeeeach. 

So don’t fear if you’re in the middle of that journey right now—tumbling and chipped. Do your best to trust that Jesus is in the midst of that process with you as you seek truth, and you may find that what you’re becoming will be much more beautiful than before.

Jesus, help me embrace the honest journey of transformation with you. Soften my sharp edges and bring renewed beauty from my life into the world.

Peace,
Keith