The warm tears cascading down my cheeks are being cooled by the calming breeze.
It's been a hard year.
No, nothing devastating happened. {Others have gone through a far more difficult season than I.} And there is no one thing that if I shared it with you would make these tears make sense. No, it's more of a compilation of small things that have tested and tried, and at times, buffeted my soul this past year. Little foxes quietly nibbling away. Mostly unseen. Easily overlooked and seemingly inconsequential at the time. Yet, all the while, being profoundly significant in the eyes of my God. Nothing is "too little" to Him.
Not when it involves my heart.
This past year has been one of quiet refinement. The Lord working within the quiet recesses of my heart. Like a soft whisper of grace, with moments of biting pain. Bringing out ugliness that has hidden there unaware {at least from my sight, maybe not from others!}. Oh, but how the Lover of my soul pursues me with a relentless and jealous love!
I am brought low by my King. And I'm thankful.
I am brought low by my King. And I'm thankful.
"Let the bones which You have broken rejoice." Psalm 51:8
The wind now blowing strong and tenderly across my face. Making its presence known.
Only recently, in my brokenness am I discovering that as God was doing the painful work of pulling weeds, He was also doing another work within my heart: bringing forth beauty. Faithfully drawing out the beauty that He has already placed within me - Christ. "Christ in you, the hope of glory" Colossians 1:27. He was {and is} making me more like Christ. Being made more glorious with each passing day. Each failure. Each success. Each joy. Each sorrow. More like Christ. "...beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord...being transformed into the same image from glory to glory..." 2 Corinthians 3:18
Only recently, in my brokenness am I discovering that as God was doing the painful work of pulling weeds, He was also doing another work within my heart: bringing forth beauty. Faithfully drawing out the beauty that He has already placed within me - Christ. "Christ in you, the hope of glory" Colossians 1:27. He was {and is} making me more like Christ. Being made more glorious with each passing day. Each failure. Each success. Each joy. Each sorrow. More like Christ. "...beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord...being transformed into the same image from glory to glory..." 2 Corinthians 3:18
Glorious?! Me?! Who am I, Lord?
My tears of sorrow turning to tears of gratitude.
My tears of sorrow turning to tears of gratitude.
Our God is faithful. And He is good. All the sadness. All the pain. All the discomfort. All the tears find their worth in light of the promise that "God causes all things to work for good to those who love God...for those He predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son..." Romans 8:28,29. Not one moment of it is in vain. It is all meaningful and full of purpose.
To become more and more like my beautiful Savior. Yes. That is my heart's desire. He is my heart's desire.
The wind continuing to blow firm and fresh against my tear-stained cheeks. Reviving my soul with its strength as I watch it push the storm clouds away, allowing the sunlight to break through. The weather is changing.
So, I am stepping into this new year with a hope-filled expectation that God will continue to faithfully bring to me that which makes for my ultimate good and His glory, whether it be through tears or laughter. Either way, I trust it will be worth it.
O Lord, You have been so good to me and I thank You. Your love is deep and meddlesome, and I love it that way. I trust You and enjoy You more and more each day. O God, You have made me glad by what You've done. I wait for the Day when You will wipe all of our tears away...forever. Amen.
The wind continuing to blow firm and fresh against my tear-stained cheeks. Reviving my soul with its strength as I watch it push the storm clouds away, allowing the sunlight to break through. The weather is changing.
So, I am stepping into this new year with a hope-filled expectation that God will continue to faithfully bring to me that which makes for my ultimate good and His glory, whether it be through tears or laughter. Either way, I trust it will be worth it.
O Lord, You have been so good to me and I thank You. Your love is deep and meddlesome, and I love it that way. I trust You and enjoy You more and more each day. O God, You have made me glad by what You've done. I wait for the Day when You will wipe all of our tears away...forever. Amen.
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