Uncovering the Masterpiece
Peeling Back the Layers to Reveal His Design
In 1823, Francisco Goya painted a portrait of Don Ramón Satué. But centuries later, restorers made a shocking discovery—beneath it lay another portrait, this one of French ruler Joseph Bonaparte.
After Napoleon’s fall, Goya had wisely painted over Joseph to avoid political trouble in Spain—a survival move. But in the process, the original canvas became layered, concealed, and altered.
The Mask We Paint On
We start as God’s masterpieces, created in His love. But over time, we begin painting over ourselves—layers of expectations from culture, family, friends, and even our own insecurities. We try to survive instead of thrive, until the masterpiece underneath feels hidden. Let’s be honest—we all have our “Joseph Bonaparte moments.”
We paint on images to fit in or avoid trouble. Maybe it’s the career title we hide behind, the fashion that disguises our insecurity, or even our “church face” on Sundays. But God smiles gently and says, “That’s not who I made you to be.” His Spirit doesn’t peel back the layers to shame us, but to lovingly reveal who we truly are in Him.
The Master Restorer
The good news? God is not just an Artist—He’s a Restorer. His goal is not to make us into something we are not. It’s to lovingly remove what doesn’t belong, until Christ is revealed uniquely through us.
“And we all… are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
Notice: He’s not slapping on more paint. He’s removing the layers that hide the beauty He already placed within you.
Addition by Subtraction
God doesn’t fix us by adding clutter. He frees us by removing what never belonged.
Fear? Stripped away.
Shame? Lifted.
The need to prove yourself? Gone.
And sometimes the process feels uncomfortable—like sanding down rough edges or peeling off layers. But every “removal” is actually restoration.
The Glory of His Love
The result is not you disappearing—it’s you becoming fully alive in the love of Christ. Each of us was created to reveal Jesus uniquely. Not as copies, not as counterfeits, but as beloved originals. The world doesn’t need another painted-over portrait—it needs the masterpiece God intended, restored by His hand, radiating His agape love.
Questions