You Are God’s Work of Art
You Are God’s Masterpiece
We are not defined by our abuse—we are defined by God’s masterpiece.
Have you ever asked, “What possible good could come from the sexual abuse I’ve suffered?” Well, I think we all have. It was horrible, destructive, and we wouldn’t wish it on our worst enemy. Yet, we lived through it, and it can not be erased.
As I think through all that has happened to me, I’m not going to sugar coat it, I still struggle with self-worth. I have fought and clawed to do the hard work of healing. I would not be here today without Jesus and our Biblical-based, Trees of Hope’s Shelter From the Storm Program—a program that encourages survivors to look at themselves through the lens of Scripture.
If you’re reading this and longing for that kind of support, I want you to know that Trees of Hope offers our Shelter healing study throughout the year. These groups provide a safe, confidential, and Christ-centered space for women to walk through the healing process together. Guided by Scripture and supported by trained facilitators (many of them survivors themselves), Shelter helps women exchange shame for dignity, lies for truth, and despair for hope. Each study creates community, accountability, and the reminder that you don’t have to walk this road alone. If you’ve ever felt God tugging at your heart to take the next step in healing, I encourage you to join one of these groups—you’ll find compassion, strength, and freedom in Christ as you journey with others who understand.
Jesus lovingly brings me to this passage, and invites me (and you) to believe. His Word speaks– worth and value over our lives. Let’s look at it together:
Ephesians 2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
This verse reminds us we’re far more than just people living on this floating rock aimlessly surviving from one day to the next. The Bible tells us that we are God’s “workmanship”. In Greek this word is “poiema”, a word from which we get the English word “poem.” It’s another way of saying—we’re His epic poem of creation. Please stop! Go back and read that last sentence again.
We’re the product of His skilled, capable hands. Everything God makes is a thing of beauty; He only produces value. We’re God’s work of art; His masterpiece. He has intricately designed our lives to have purpose and meaning. Like a poet crafting each line of a poem, God has woven every moment of our lives, even the darkest ones into a beautiful narrative of significance. If you’re new to faith, this concept may bring confusion. How is darkness beautiful? Well, it’s not the darkness that’s beautiful, it’s what a Holy God can do in and through us, despite the darkness and that’s remarkable.
Let’s continue breaking down this verse. The word “created” comes from the Greek word “ktizo”, which means to create something in a way that only God can. God didn’t redeem us simply to live an ordinary, mundane life. We were created with a specific purpose in mind—to live lives marked by good works that reflect His glory. He crafted us with a purpose in mind.
These “good works” are not the means of our salvation, but rather the natural result of salvation. As we are reminded of earlier in the same chapter of Ephesians, we’re saved by grace through faith, not by our own works, so that no one can boast. The “good works” God prepared for us are not for our own glory, but for the benefit of others; to serve and bless those around us.
In the tapestry of our lives, God has woven together moments of joy, sorrow, victory, and struggle. His story of pursuit, rescue, and redemption is reflected in our own stories. Do you know someone who might have endured sexual abuse? Reaching out to them with a word of encouragement or offering to walk through the difficult season with them is how we can show and share God’s love in action. This simple act could be the very thing that points them to the hope and redemption found only in the loving arms of Jesus.
God allows us to use the pain and triumphs of our lives to help others, pointing them toward His healing and grace. We can take the lessons we’ve learned from our personal journeys—especially the most difficult ones—and offer them as a testimony to His faithfulness.
How might He want to use our painful past to minister to others? We’re part of a bigger narrative, one where our individual stories intertwine with God’s glory story. When we allow Him to write our sexual abuse healing story, we’re not just living for ourselves but living for His purpose, glory, and namesake. Our lives, though uniquely ours, are a part of His greater plan.
Pray: Dear Lord, You’ve redeemed the hardest and darkest parts of my story. Please show me how to minister to others through the healing lessons You’ve provided. Allow my heart to be pure and tender with those who hurt, so I may show them how much love awaits them in Your mighty arms. May my own life reflect the power of transformation, healing, and growth to ultimately point them back to You. Amen.
