Look to God and for Him
In the face of hurt, look to the Healer.
The year between 2016 and 2017 was both a hard and beautiful time. While I found myself in a deep pit of anxiety, it was also when I embraced true transformation too. Now seven years later, I can look back and very clearly say it was when God healed me of the decades of anxiety, depression and disordered eating my life once spiraled in. It was in that very pit, He released me of it all.
Praise God!
Recently, I was reflecting on an incident that occurred around the time right before the release. During that time, I was still hiding the pain, the suffering, and even the post traumatic stress disorder and postpartum anxiety I did not know I had yet. Everything felt so heavy. I faked smiles around my kids so my pain hopefully did not become mistakenly theirs. Around others, I pretended I had it together, but God knew. In the quiet moments sprinkled throughout the days, I would cry to Him, asking for the healing.
One afternoon during that time, I had been backing out of my driveway when I thought I looked all around and yet somehow missed a spot, colliding with my neighbor’s father’s car. Though it was “just” the side mirror, damage was done. In my own reasoning and head, I remember blaming it “on the blindspot;” however, I knew it was more than that. This was because in the clutter of what I was carrying, I simply forgot to look. Excuses did not eliminate the truth. They never eliminate the true TRUTH; they often avoid it though. I remember apologizing profusely and wanting to throw out excuse after excuse. However, I paused, stopping myself at, “I’m sorry,” and “What could I do to fix this situation?”
I remember around this time the same theme kept coming up. No, I wasn’t crashing into cars, thankfully. However, what I was doing was running to excuses. In one breath, I would cry out for the healing, while in the next one, I would hold on to an excuse or crutch, just in case.
I was not only holding onto the hurt of the past but also the crutches I learned to depend on. Yet, God was asking me to not only notice them this time, but to surrender them too. Gripping onto what was not mine to hold not only created blindspots but it also positioned my posture into negative cycles, instead of God’s embrace.
Hand God the heavy, even the crutches. The crutches are short-term, imperfect fixes we carry, but God carries us. His healing is complete. His love and ways are eternal and perfect.
I remember how God didn’t condemn me for it, but how the Holy Spirit convicted my heart. If I was at the stage of enough is enough, I had to lay down every excuse. I had to be accountable for any of the messes I had created too. Even in my pain, God continued to bring it back to having a heart of integrity.
Honesty is a powerful thing these days. It always has been. In order to embrace the full healing He had for me, I had to be willing to get very honest. My healing could not come from blaming a blindspot but instead from praying for a heart, both softened and strengthened to receive it, and the right set of glasses to see it.
Not everything that happens to us is our fault. So much of what happens may seem unfair and undeserving but when we lay down even those words and learn to stand on God’s promises and what the cross truly means… there is freedom. There is freedom to know we will make mistakes. There is freedom to admit them when we do. There is freedom when we stop pointing fingers at distractions, knowing the Lord has equipped us with what we need for right now. We won’t be able to fix everything, but I am so grateful that we have a Father in Heaven who can.
Look to God and for Him.
In the face of hurt, look to the Healer.
In the face of the hard, He is there.
Faithful every moment,
We can cast Him every care.
Look to God and for Him.
Sometimes though, it is not our own excuses that bring the suffering, but others. When we are caught unprepared by something unexpected or blindsided, it hurts. Therefore, the reality of these blind spots is they don’t just exist in cars, they exist in our own lives too. It is impossible for us to see everything and to know everything. In some ways, that is a protection because it’s too much for us to hold or know, and in other ways, it can leave wounds deeper than we would like to admit. Through it all, God sees and knows it all.
If you are reading this and something like this happened to you, I am sorry that happened. In recent years and circumstances, I recognize how close God is to the brokenhearted. When hurt by someone we love or even blindsided by them, God is near. It is not just a cliche phrase to say… God knows. He sees it all and He is near. His promises are true.
Draw near and He will draw near to you.
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)
In the hurt, pain and suffering, be honest with the Lord. Sometimes in the midst of another person’s revelation, we experience hurt as they begin to heal. “Why do I need to hurt for that person to heal?” can become the cry of our heart… but with those words, may we be reminded of the cross. Of course we don’t want to go through suffering, but this world is a fallen one and we were never promised the absence of trials.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Instead we were promised provision, peace, strength and to receive everything we need from the Lord. Yet, if we are being honest, being in this world but not of it, can still be so hard at times. There is a cost. Still, there is a comforting truth I find myself clinging to more than ever... God makes things beautiful. You are not alone in whatever you feel or face. You are never alone. Seek God today. Seek Him in the now, in the here, in the moments before you right here and right now. Seek to know Him more. Draw near. He is there.
Have you ever experienced a time where God made a challenging time beautiful?
It’s like the buds beginning to grow from the rain. Like rain’s redemption story, the tears can be used to do the same. Rise and remember to look to God and for Him, our Refuge and our Redeemer.
What do we do when we are blindsided or caught unprepared by something?
Know this: God is not surprised.
Say it aloud even: God I don’t understand why this happened or how this unfolded, but You know all things. Help me.
Bring your sight onto the Lord. God is not surprised. He sees and knows. Don’t get stuck in the whirlpools of shame and regret of how could I not have known? Instead, seek God. He will guide how to push against those urges and pulls.
Faithfully take it one obedient step at a time.
Lean into the One who knows it all. It is impossible for us to know all things. We are not God, but we have the Holy Spirit to help us discern. We have God to help us navigate 1) what to learn from the situation 2) how to prepare better next time, if need be, and 3) how to move on with the lessons.
“Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)
Jehoshaphat’s prayer is a powerful posture for us all. When life comes at us like a vast army, may we remember this. “… but our eyes are on you.” Jehoshaphat relied on the Lord and Judah was blessed with peace from it. Our posture can be the same which leads to The Art of a Messy House challenge this month:
Look to God and for Him.
Seek Him… God, what should I know about this and what should I do? Those are two questions we can pause often to ask. Listen and follow what He guides to do. Remember we only know what we know, but God knows it all. Once our eyes are opened to something, may it be a reminder to seek God for what to do with what we have been entrusted with.
Look for Him… God is in the details. He is in the kind words along the way, the loving acts, the blessings… His goodness is all around. Consider recording these moments down. Be intentional about slowing down to see them and praying for a softened heart decluttered enough to receive them too. God is faithful to show Himself. The real questions are…
What are we paying attention to? Who or what are we fixing our eyes on? Is it the Perfecter of our faith? “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
In the face of the hurt, heavy, hard and even the happiness, may we look to our Healer. He is our Redeemer, our Restorer and our rest. He brings peace. Look to God and for Him, right here and right now.
“When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.” (2 Chronicles 20:24-30 ESV)
Dear God, You are good. You see all. Your ways are higher. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are Your ways higher than my ways and Your thoughts than my thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9) You are greater than whatever we face and even the things that blindside us. Nothing surprises You Lord. God I don’t know what to do but my eyes are on You. Lead me. Though there seems to be this “vast army” before me, my eyes are on You. God give me the right set of glasses so we can see what You see because where we are blinded or even blindsided, You are not. You see it all. We give You all the glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.” (1 Peter 4:1)
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Be blessed ♡
