Transformed by Love:

How the unfailing love of God brought me from darkness to light

By Georgia Belfont, Wolverhampton, England

I believe in a spiritual reality that is beyond our comprehension and understanding, a reality that language cannot fully convey. It is through my artistic practice and the visual language of art, that I try to make sense of the mystery of life revealed in the ancient writings of scripture. The Spirit of יְהוָ֨ה Elohim* is integral to who I am and what I create. The following testimony is how I came to faith and why I believe that Jesus is the only way to life eternal with the Father Creator.

THE EARLY YEARS - BROKEN WORLD

My name is Georgia Belfont. I was born in London in 1961. Becoming aware of the existence of God (יְהוָ֨ה Elohim), who is the breath of life, the eternal and self-existent One), and making a decision to follow Jesus of Nazareth in 1989, was one of the most transforming experiences in my life.

As a child I had some awareness of a spiritual reality, through reading a children’s Bible and star gazing at night. I asked questions about existence, but I did not class myself as a believer. I never went to church or read the Bible as an adult. The only conversation I had about Jesus was with my sister, who said, "he was a space man.”

Georgia with an image of Jesus at The New Art Gallery, Walsall 2022 

From a young age I was troubled by what I saw and experienced in the world. How could human beings be so loving and yet commit such acts of extreme wickedness? I knew there was something deeply broken in the world. It wasn’t until I left London and attended Cheltenham Art College in 1985, that these concerns became more focused. I engaged in identity politics and issues relating to race, class, and gender. I tried to find solutions to the problems in the world through socialism and feminism. 

Whilst studying at art college, I won a travel bursary, a financial award, to go to Cuba, to research their art education system. It was also the fulfilment of a childhood dream, believing that there was somewhere in the world where all nationalities could live together in harmony. Sadly, my utopian dreams were shattered. 

FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE 

In October 1989 I was invited to church by Monica McKenzie in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Whilst I was at home I experienced God’s presence on a deeper level, which transformed my thinking and lifestyle. I had asked God in prayer, “God if you exist, I want to know.” After this prayer, I was inspired by what I later came to understand as the Holy Spirit of God, directing me to read, simply, “Corinthians 13”. I was not familiar with the Bible, so I did not know where to look. The following day, I relayed my experience to Monica who invited me to church. She read 1 Corinthians 13 to me. What stood out to me was the description of love. 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13 NIVUK

 2 Corinthians 13 said:

 ‘This will be my third visit to you. ‘Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: on my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.  For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?  2 Corinthians 13: 1-5 NIVUK

The experience humbled my heart, excited and scared me. I thought, “That was God. I better take the Bible seriously.” 

THE BIBLE

Eventually, I studied the Bible with Geraldine Kendall and Mauva Hanson. I came to believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, given to show us how to live God-centred lives, through our knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who came to make the Father known (John 17:3). What significantly changed my heart and mind was coming to an understanding that God is love as described in 1 Corinthians 13 and that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the fullest expression of this love in bodily form (1 John 4:7,14; Col. 2: 9), and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

EMMANUEL 

Scripture also revealed Jesus to be God with us, not an austere distant deity but Abba Father (John 14:8-9), who was/is deeply involved in people’s lives. He broke religious traditions and social boundaries; he included women in his ministry; he healed the sick, touched the untouchables, the outcasts of society and challenged the religious authorities. He understood what it meant to be human, to sympathise with our weaknesses, but was without sin. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

LOVE'S STORY

As I deepened my understanding of Abba Father and his love through Jesus, the Scriptures also taught me the history behind why Jesus died on the cross. 

 “163 Herbert Road” by Georgia Belfont, 2017, graphite on paper.

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM CHILDHOOD 

From childhood I was aware of what was right and wrong, but that did not stop me from stealing a doll from my best friend and then lying about it. I felt remorse, guilt and shame because I went against my conscience. I had hurt her and her family deeply, they loved me and accepted me into the family, yet I betrayed a trust because I was driven by envy and jealousy. I returned the doll, but they didn’t forgive me. I had lost a friend. I was remorseful. I experienced grief and loss because the relationship was severed.

What was the driving force behind the action to take something that was not mine? A force so powerful that I would ignore my conscience and steal?  The Bible describes this sequence as a corrupted desire, the giving into temptation which leads to sin. (James 1:13-15).

WHAT IS SIN?

Sin literally means to miss the mark, to fall short of God’s divine nature. It is the absolute opposite of what God says is right and good. A distorted desire leads to sin. It is in our DNA, so to speak, and can be traced back to our human ancestor Adam.

Sin affects our view of a loving God and distorts the truth of who we are. The sinful “nature” (flesh) leads us into a downward spiral of greed and depravity, envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice....sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. (Romans 1:29-30 Galatians 5:19-21, Colossians 21:21).

THE CROSS:  LOVED - NOT ABANDONED

God’s plan of salvation was decided upon before the beginning of time. (2 Timothy 1:9-10). In entering our broken world, God became the willing victim of our sin, to restore me/us back to union with Himself in Christ Jesus.

Jesus, the second Adam, was without sin. He came to reveal God’s love and to rescue us from the oppressive force of sin and spiritual death by taking into his body our sin. In dying and being resurrected from the dead, Jesus made a way for us all to be delivered from the irreversible outcome of sin.

METANOIA

Despite my passion and desire to live in a more harmonious loving world, I realised that I was part of the problem. I came to believe, and understood that my personal sin contributed to Jesus needing to die on the cross. My sinful attitudes and behaviours were viewed no differently from that of the most sinful offences humans can commit. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23-24). 

  “The Other Space”  Artist in Residence, Walsall Museum and Art Gallery 1991

SALVATION

Reading about the medical evidence of the crucifixion and the realisation of what Jesus must have suffered on the cross was so profound and deeply moving that it broke my heart. I made the decision, after much wrestling with repentance (metanoia), to accept God’s gift of salvation and eternal life. In December 1989 I was baptised into Jesus Christ for forgiveness of my sins and received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:36-38).

COMMISSIONED

Like the Spirit-filled artisans, Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 31 and 35), I dedicated my artistic practice to honouring and glorifying God, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. This is the best commission I have ever received.

HOPE 

The scriptures continue to inspire, transform and renew my mind daily. I am convinced that the incarnation of Jesus Christ in history, his conception, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, has the power to transform the human heart. In reconciling the world to Himself, God in Christ showed me that I am (and humanity is) loved, restored and forgiven. 

This narrow road of life in Christ is not easy. It takes sacrifice and denial of self to grow in love. My current circumstances, living with Chronic Fatigue since the 1990s and more recently Pudendal Nerve Dysfunction, are helping me to understand even more what it means to be transformed by love.

Tania and I: John 13:34-35

In 2022, I decided to host a refugee from Ukraine. It was a choice between keeping my back bedroom as a studio space or converting it into a bedroom. I wrestled for a while. Where would I do my artwork? Well, Jesus is my Lord, so I trusted him and listened to his Spirit. There was a need greater than my own. I prepared the room in faith and waited to see who Elohim would send.

 Tania and I, Arrivals, Birmingham International Airport, 2022

I have been blessed beyond measure having Tania stay with me. Tania is a young disciple of Christ. She has a spiritual maturity and vulnerability beyond her years. Through Tania, Father is showing me what it means to “look out for the interests of the other.” (Philippians 2)

Through the act of loving others, the incarnation is not just a profound mystery. Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. In him, my heart is being healed from the effects of sin. I am learning to see myself and others as God sees His creation:  fearfully and wonderfully made and worth saving and loving.

 *Footnote

This ancient Paleo - Hebrew script  יְהוָ֨ה  is believed to be the earliest form of the sacred Name. It is first mentioned in Genesis 2:7 as the one who breathed into his (Adam’s) nostrils, the breath of life.  And in Shemoth (Exodus) 3:15 “This is My Name forever, and this is My remembrance to all generations.”

 https://www.halleluyahscriptures.com/halleluyah-scriptures-translation/

Also see https://hebrew4christians.com/Names_of_G-d/YHVH/yhvh.html

BIOGRAPHY- MY ARTISTIC PRACTICE 

Georgia has been a disciple of Christ for 33 years. She is an accomplished artist and has exhibited nationally. She has a BA (Honours) in Sculpture and an MA in Art Education. Her artworks are an ongoing expression of her faith and her unique interpretation on scripture in visual form. They are for her, an aid to communicating the mystery of the sacred Name of Elohim יְהוָ֨ה and the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Caption: Initially this was a portrait of a friend, then I decided to work from my imagination. I completed the sculpture during Covid-19 lockdown, 2020, under extreme stress. It’s about looking toward the future, what is ahead. Being transformed from within. Calm, peace, tranquility within. Photo May 2020.  

A full version of her expressions of faith & her artwork can be viewed on her website: https://visualisingfaith.co.uk/