God-Sight

Chronic Illness, Uncategorized

Have you ever felt hidden and unseen?

 

God Sees 10.7.19

 

Over these many months, now years,  of medication failures I have felt the pain of being minimized and unseen. And yet, God has placed such comfort for me in surprising places.

When we walked into the office of my small-town General Physician last week, the nurse was in shock when she saw how weak I had become. Of all the different nurses and Doctors that we have seen this year, she was one of the few who had actually asked, “What happened to you over these past months?”  And her genuine concern touched me so deeply.

As I thought about her concern, and her really “seeing” me, the Lord nudged me to re-work an older post from my early weeks of blogging. This post originally titled “God Breath” was posted in February 2016, but a new title of “God-Sight” has slipped into place as I’ve felt His eyes upon us in a way I could not realize before.

 

The cold winds of winter will be here before we know it! But I think there are still a few more days of autumn to enjoy before we face the kind of snow that covered our porch in February of 2016.

 

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It’s February, knee-deep in the bone chill of winter here in Wisconsin.  And I have been thinking about other winters. Other bone chill days.

 

One year ago our little Blizzard-Boy of a grandson was born in the middle of a Chicago Snowstorm. This Grandma was amazed once again at the beauty of life: suddenly, God-Breath woke this little boy to join our world!  But also, this Grandma was embarrassed to be newly diagnosed and bearing the pain of a disease I knew all too little about.  Snowed in at the hospital, I was humiliated to ask the nurses for a more comfortable place to sleep because these swollen joints couldn’t handle those hard waiting room chairs.  But oh, what bliss! They offered me an extra bed, made available to snow-weary visitors, and their kindness overwhelmed me.

 

On another bone chill day a few years ago, I rode the train into downtown Chicago.  My friends and I stepped out of our comfort zones bearing gifts to pass out to the homeless.  We wrapped our arms around shivering ones and blessed them with our scarves and gloves and bottles of water.  But none of us expected to find the kindness of God looking at us through eyes hidden behind a ski mask.

 

“Robert” was embarrassed to be newly begging and bearing the pain of joblessness.  It was his first day out on the streets, but we didn’t know that when we invited him to lunch.  We found it all out over the course of several weeks, as he emailed us the details.  A Jesus-follower himself, “Robert” was ready to give up on God when we gave him a simple meal, and prayed over him.

 

The kindness of God moved us to reach out to Robert, and the kindness of God moved Robert to see the hope of Christ restored.  He was later reunited with his family and found a job.  We who had witnessed his story were touched by the kindness of God more deeply than we ever expected.

 

Here, in these long days, I want to have eyes that are opened to see the God-Breath moments, chasing away the bone chill winter cold.

 

“God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]”   Romans 2:4 (Amplified Version)

 

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Now these many years later, I realize that what touched my heart in that extra hospital room was the breath of God on me as He saw me, the true me, aching in that new and humiliating place of weakness.

Even one lonely, hidden man, covered by a ski-mask, in the midst of a vast number of homeless street people was known and seen by our breath-giving God.

 

Because there is no hiding from God.

 

And isn’t that the true joy? We are not hidden! We are seen by the ONE who has created all of life. The One who breathed into that little newborn during one cold Chicago Blizzard is the same One who is so close to us, that we can feel His breath as He sees our deepest hearts.

 

 

But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless. Psalm 10:14 NIV

 

Dear Lord,

Thank You for always seeing us, in every place we find ourselves. Thank You for being so near that Your very breath gives us life. Lord, we confess that the grief and the pain sometimes overwhelm us, and we feel alone and unseen. Help us to know that You are here to take all of our burdens in Your strong hands. Help us to trust in Your all-knowing gaze upon us. We love You our gracious and merciful Father.

In the name of Your son, Jesus, we pray,

Amen.

 

I am linking with:

#LMMLinkup

#TeaAndWord

#TellHisStory

 

Published by Bettie G

Jesus follower, Wife, Mom, and Grandma, journeying through chronic illness one day at a time

Published

27 thoughts on “God-Sight”

    1. Thank you for the sweet thoughts and prayers! I am awaiting other possible treatments coming up, and hoping for relief with those. Thank God for every small bits of help! Blessings to you this week!

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    1. Amen, Lynn. It’s so easy to just focus on our own agenda, but God has such gifts for us to share when we open our hearts to His kindness. Blessings and love to you this week, Dear Friend!

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  3. Your post touched me deeply, Bettie! My biggest concern/complaint is NOT being seen for the person I am (and instead just a diagnosis!) I pray often just “to be seen” by those that are supposed to be helping/caring for me! While often frustrated, at least I know God SEES ME! THANK YOU for such a thoughtful, touching post!

    I pray you find relief and that winter isn’t too harsh on us all this year? And to those doctors who have told me the “weather doesn’t effect my arthritis”… that simply is NOT true! They don’t see me sandwiched in-between my electric mattress pad and electric blanket being used as a heating pad for stiff, aching joints! The first sign of pain, for me, often presents as bone-chilling cold and numbness throughout my body even in my fingers. But if they don’t “turn blue”, it isn’t a diagnosis (Raynoud’s Syndrome) so… it is ignored, sigh! Sending you healing thoughts and prayers!! ❤

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    1. Oh, I am so thankful that God touched you here today, Sweet Friend! I understand all too well the way that many Doctors don’t seem to see beyond the diagnosis that they have determined defines us. I am so sorry you have had to deal with that. Truly, only our God really sees us, and He always understands!

      Thank you so much for sharing your heart here today. That bone-chilling cold can be so agonizing, can’t it? And, yes, I’ve gotten that look, and then the turning away, if my fingers aren’t as “blue” as the Dr thought they should be for a “real” diagnosis. It can feel like such an uphill battle sometimes, can’t it? I am so very thankful for all of the thoughts and prayers that we can share. They are such a blessing! Love and hugs to you across the miles!

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    1. Amen, so very thankful! We would be so lost without Him. I am praying for you and your husband tonight, Dear Friend! May the Lord be with you both so closely!

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  6. Oh Bettie, I’m so glad you revisited this post. It truly touched my heart. There are so many deep truths here. I’m so glad you met with a nurse who truly cared. When people are not really seeing you, it only adds to your heartache and pain. Has the therapy been helping at all? The song really touched my heart, too. “I will hold you when you’re breaking as a Father and a Friend.” Yes, thank You, Lord! May He keep gently holding you and carrying you, breathing His grace into your soul! Love and blessings to you!

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    1. Dear Trudy,
      Isn’t our Lord so amazing the way that He leads us? Your encouragement on your blog today blessed me so much too, as the Lord directed us each to re-work older posts. He does see every detail, and holds us through every one of these hard days that we are walking through. I appreciate your prayers and thoughts so much! I’ve only had one full session of the Myofascial Treatment, but I am scheduled for 2 more later this month. I am praying for God’s relief there and for His help with a possible nerve block injection next week. I am so very grateful for the prayers we can share, and for that deep breath of grace that He covers us with. Love and Blessings to you too!

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  7. Dear Bettie,
    Your writing always touches me. You always share right from your heart in the midst of pain and anxiety and feelings of weakness, but you don’t stop there. You also share how God meets you right where you are. He really does love and care about us. Thank you for sharing the story of Robert, too. What a joy to see how you all became the hands and feet of God for him! I appreciate you and your encouragement so much, dear friend. Love, hugs and blessings to you, my dear sister/poet! xoxo

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    1. Dear Gayl,
      I am so very grateful that the Lord allows us to share His encouragement with each other! He finds amazing ways to show us that He is with us through these heavy trials, and that He really does love and care about us so much. I continue to pray for “Robert” (I changed his name here, for his privacy,) and ask God to keep taking care of him and his family. We just never know how deeply one gift of kindness can touch someone. Thank you for your care and kindness for me too, Dear Friend! Love and blessings to you, my dear sister/poet/friend! xoxo

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  8. Bettie I love that you went back and updated an old post. It’s remembering from where we’ve come, and God tells us to look back. Thank you for setting a positive example to remember again today the goodness of God and his kindness in seeing you.
    I’m sorry that you continue to suffer so & even more I’m sorry that your painful journey is not often acknowledged.
    I think the inability to address what is real in someone’s experience is a very hard part of living on this Earth.
    Please accept my apology for not doing a better job of keeping up with you and asking how you are doing. 😭 I do think of you more than you know, but I need to let you know!

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    1. Dear Lisa,
      Yes, you are so right that God does ask us to look back and remember where we have come from, and how He has led us. He is so near to us! And please don’t feel bad about not keeping up with me–I have not written to you as much as I could have also. But I have felt the encouragement of all of your Scriptures and thoughts over this year of changes in your life too. Jesus keeps us connected, even when words are few. I have always felt that you seek to look deeply to understand the real heart, and I appreciate you so much for that! May the Lord help us to keep listening and opening our hearts to see through His eyes. Love and Blessings to you!

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      1. Bless you, Bettie, with life and joy, comfort in our Savior and peace for your heart. May you be emboldened and encouraged in the Lord to experience the fullness of abundant life in Jesus. Keep writing sister 🌱🌼🌻

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  11. We are seen when we believe we are unseen. Loved when we feel unloveable and comforted when we feel discouraged. Thank you for your beautiful words and willingness to continue to share your health journey so we can pray for you.

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    1. Oh, Amen, Mary. He goes so much deeper than we could ever realize and loves us through every moment. Thank you for your precious comments here. And I truly appreciate your prayers so much. Blessings and love to you.

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