God is really wonderful in the way that He timing is more perfect than those movies where the hero arrives just in time. Just 3 days before me leaving, I was called out to supper with 3 of my studio mates, just to talk over some unpleasantness that occurred during the final stretch before our design submission. Basically, one of the people got really frustrated and vented a lot of anger and bad language toward us. Why this is timely for me is because lately, the Lord has really impressed upon me that my ministry is really within my study and work area instead of within the church and activites. It's in these places where being a light for God really counts and all through the semester I have been promising myself to value my relationships with people more than my work. I'm essentially a chronic workacoholic and I admit I do disappear into a pool of my own busyness and insecurities when times get tough. However, this semester I really tried to uphold myself as a positivie influence in my work environment. Basically the Lord delievered much much more than I expected, during supper and our talk tonight, we really went through a session of self reflection and contemplated on how we view our design and our self worth. The problem with us designers in general is that we will place so much of ourself in our work that anything adverse that is said our designs will be taken as an attack on our own character and worth. However, I have come to realised that in life the product means very little and we have little control over it. Especially in design, the product can be ruined by many things and we actually have very little control over it. That's why the process is so much more important because that is what defines our intention of our thoughts and ideas and that is what carries us forward as designers. In the same way the way we view life can often be too based around achievements and results but in the end the only product of life is death.
Before the supper I just prayed and asked God to give me the wisdom and the words to say to this person such that it will build character instead of being judgemental and during the supper it's as if He was there talking through all 3 of us. We talked for over 2 hours then wrapped up with prayer, and I think each of us grew a little bit as we walked back.
"I lift up my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let my foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you-
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore." Psalm 121
