My mind yearns to bring together the words that embody the emotions of a hundred random thoughts in my head. And yet I sit here staring at a blank page. So, with no new words seeming to evolve, I’m recycling an old story for you. It’s one I was reminded of today, and I hope it will encourage even just one reader. I pray you feel seen in your circumstances, regardless of how great or grave they may be.
It was the end of a long day. We were moving and had hoped to get a little more cash from our yard sell, but we were tired, so as late afternoon approached, we put a “free” sign at the road. A few people stopped and looked around but didn’t take much. Then, a man and his wife pulled up and started strolling through our belongings. They packed into their car a crib, a high chair, a baby carrier, clothes, and a nursing pump.
It was then that the man began to cry. He told my husband that his wife was 8 months pregnant, they had recently moved to the area, and he had no job. The day before, she had told him, “Our baby is due in one month, and we have no crib and no furniture.” He looked at Jake and said, “God remembered me.”
We all have our stories. The details are unique, but the feelings they leave in their wake are oftentimes the same. Feelings of uncertainty, loneliness, fear, and brokenness.
If life were a movie, I could grab the remote, rewind, and show you the moments when I lay on the floor and ugly cried, or the nights when I sat on the back porch steps and asked God, “Why?” I could take you to places of questions and doubts and sadness. You could say, “I’m sorry,” but I’m not.
No one is exempt from these moments. In retrospect, these moments made me see more clearly the goodness and care of God. I could also take you back to miracle after miracle of the provision, faithfulness, care, and goodness of our God.
I often tell our boys, “When life is good, God is good. And when life is hard, God is still good, and He’s with you.” Dark seasons can make us bitter or they can mold us into a person of grit and courage, reflecting the perseverance and grace of Jesus. I don’t pretend to have walked through what others have. Each of us carries our own loads. But what I do declare boldly is that Jesus is faithful.
My prayer for each one who reads this is that you will be reminded (or hear for the first time), that you are not alone. You are remembered and seen by Almighty God who loves you desperately. Don’t give up on life or your dreams. Turn your heart and eyes to Jesus, and trust Him with the details of your season. Then, watch what happens!
For Biblical references, check out these verses and stories:
Genesis 16:13, “…You are the God who sees me…”
Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Matthew 28:20, “…And surely I (Jesus) am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Hebrews 13:5, “…God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'”
