You Are God’s Masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10

Frank Wible
Jun 16
2 min read

For years, Ethan believed he was a mistake. Not just that he made mistakes—but that he was one. A childhood filled with rejection and harsh words had shaped a belief that he wasn’t good enough, smart enough, or worth much to anyone. By his early twenties, he was surviving, not living—drifting from job to job, numb to everything except shame.

Person stands before a large mural of a cracked stone figure with light beams. Scaffolding on the right. Dark, dramatic setting. — You’re not a mistake. You’re a masterpiece in progress.

One Sunday morning, a friend invited him to church. He only agreed because there was free coffee and he had nothing else to do. He sat in the back, arms crossed. But partway through the message, the pastor said something that pierced right through him: “You are not a project to fix. You are a masterpiece God is still painting.”

Ethan froze. A masterpiece? Him? He scoffed at the idea—until the pastor quoted Ephesians 2:10. “We are God’s masterpiece, created anew…” That word—anew—caught his heart. Maybe his life wasn’t over. Maybe it was just beginning. Maybe everything he thought disqualified him was actually the canvas God was about to use.

That afternoon, Ethan went home and pulled out a notebook. He wrote the verse at the top of the page: You are God’s masterpiece. Underneath it, he made a list—not of everything he hated about himself, but of the things he had survived. As he wrote, he realized those wounds weren’t proof of failure—they were evidence of God’s sustaining hand.

Hands holding a pen write in a notebook with text "You are God's masterpiece - Ephesians 2:10." Warm light creates a serene mood. — The brushstrokes of your pain may be the beginning of your purpose.

The next month, he joined a recovery group. Then he started mentoring younger guys who felt like they were “too far gone.” One night, a teen he was mentoring said, “Man, you make me believe I’m not just messed up—I’m meant for more.” Ethan smiled and said, “You are. You’re a masterpiece. I didn’t believe it either. But I do now.”

You are God’s masterpiece doesn’t mean you're perfect—it means you’re intentionally crafted by the hands of a perfect God. Today, Ethan carries that verse on a card in his wallet. Not because he’s got it all figured out, but because when the enemy tries to bring up his past, he pulls out the truth.