Is God the Sculptor of Your Life?

La Pietà is a sculpture created by Michelangelo during 1498-99 and displayed in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It captures the Blessed Mary holding the lifeless body of her son, Jesus, in her lap after his Crucifixion. We may easily forget that this beautiful masterpiece, that stirs and moves our hearts, began simply as a block of marble stone. The significance of this is captured in the following story:

A little boy was watching a sculptor at work. For weeks this sculptor kept chipping away at a big block of marble. After a few weeks he had created a beautiful marble lion. The little boy was amazed and said: "Mister, how did you know there was a lion in the rock?"

(Henri J. M. Nouwen, Clowning in Rome: Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer, and Contemplation (Image, 2000), pp. 83-84).

How did Michelangelo know La Pietà was hidden within the depth of the block of marble? He undoubtedly began with a vision, an inspiration, and even a divine revelation of seeing what was awaiting to be transformed and born anew. As he painstakingly chipped away piece-by-piece from the marble, the image began unfolding, evolving, slowly revealing and manifesting itself, and eventually producing this masterpiece that speaks to souls throughout time.

Will you allow God to be the sculptor of your life? God has already revealed to us that we are created in the image and likeness of God (Gn 1:26–27), whose image is most exemplified in the person of Jesus (see Jn 10:30; 14:9). We are called to allow God to conform us to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). This is the image that is hidden within the depth of our soul, awaiting to be released, revealed, manifested, and born anew. To begin to do this, you must willingly consent and surrender to the Spirit continually chipping away at the thoughts, behaviors, sin, and everything else that is not of God, and that prevents or distorts the manifestation of your true image, the image you are created to be, the image of Christ.