The God Who Sees
There was a time when smiles no longer reached my eyes, when I kept a facade because I was worried people could see beyond. I thought I would crumble to pieces, unable to put myself back together again. All I wanted was to curl in a ball and hide away.
We all have moments like these. Sometimes some of us have them more than others, but eventually, we all experience a moment like this.
If you are currently in a moment like this, I have a message for you.
You don't need to hide.
The hurt and pain in your heart may not be visible to those around you, but they are to He who sees and knows all.
Psalm 139:1-4 says,
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
He sees you, all of you.
He knows you, even the words you don't say.
He hears you, every single one of your prayers.
He loves you to bits and pieces.
So don't run away and hide from Him.
Come to Him as you are.
It shall pass.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says,
3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
There is a time for all things, good things and bad things. Though the pain may feel unbearable and the situation bleak, please know that this moment will pass too. It won't always be this way.
For Loved Ones
I want to be honest here and say that these moments are awkward. For the person in the moment, it's awkward articulating what's wrong, especially when you don't even know why you feel the way you do. It's embarrassing having a sudden outburst of emotion and crying (even more so if you don't like crying in front of people).
It's also awkward being on the receiving end because seeing another person's vulnerability and honesty is uncomfortable. Watching someone break down in front of you and knowing you can't do anything to help them. It's not that you don't care for them. You do, and you want to show you're there for them, but it's hard to know what to say in moments like these.
It's awkward. It is. But even in the most awkward and uncomfortable moments, you have an opportunity to be present, listen and understand your loved one. Sometimes all someone needs in a moment like this is your willingness to sit with them in their dark time, wherever they are. It might even mean sitting with them in the dark as they cry. You don't have to know what to say. You don't need to give them good advice. All they need is your presence and your prayers.