Overlooking the Cracks

In the risk of being vulnerable, I have to admit, that I often feel invisible.

Am I alone here, or do you feel the same? Can you relate? I bet you can.

It seems those cracks that people speak about falling through….I manage to hit them straight on more often than not.

At one time, this would have been enough for me to stand up and walk away. It hurts to be forgotten about; insignificant to those around me.

It hurt years ago, and it still hurts now.

The only difference between then and now is that I have learned to turn my eyes towards the loving face of Jesus. Each time I feel my presence seems irrelevant; I struggle desperately to focus on him. If I don’t, I will continue to be offended and then angered. Then, I will walk away; more bitter than I was before.

I have spent a lifetime walking away from others, from situations, from unspoken pain.
And I now know, that unless I follow Jesus, I will continue to do so.

Jesus desires for me to remain in him, so I can grow to become more like him; so I can overcome the pettiness, the button pushing, which too often has distressed me to the extreme.

While challenges continue, I am getting better as each one rears its ugly head.

The devil, of course, doesn’t like this. He will continue to ensure those cracks not only appear, but widen….and multiply.

It’s my duty, as a follower of Christ, and to myself, to believe the truth; to honestly believe the truth. And the truth is this:

Jesus loves me; He died for me. I am not insignificant. I am loved. I am special.

I can walk ahead in love, overlooking the pain, overlooking the cracks. I can pick myself up again and again….because I know the truth and it will set me free.

It’s so worth saying again: Jesus loves me; He died for me. I am not insignificant. I am loved. I am special.

And so are you!

Because Jesus loves you; He died for you. You are not insignificant. You are loved. You are special.

Have a great day, loved one. Walk in His everlasting love!

To Know is to Love

I want to be loved.

I hear the quiet whispers of those who judge, and I see the disapproving leers of those who stand away from me and condemn me.

I hate this; I hate them.

Yet, I am no different from them. I judge and condemn as well.

I condemn not only them, but also myself. And I do it with the same intensity and censure as them…maybe worse.

It’s like a wicked merry-go-round. It continues to turn and return. Little changes; the cycle repeats; and it will, as long as I allow it to.

Oh, God help me to love myself; help me to see me as you do. Help me to better understand.

Oh, God help me to love my enemies; help me to see them as you do. Help me to understand.

But then…

…when I come to my quiet place, I feel neither condemnation nor any judgment upon me. It is here that I feel loved.

There is only love here in this place with you.

I want to stay here with you; I don’t want to be put back out there where I am destroyed by myself and others. I want to be cared for; accepted; loved.

But once again you remind me. You remind me that my focus has been unclear.

My focus is to remain on you, and on who I am when found in you.

As you continue to speak truth to me, I begin to understand that I am loved. I am loved no matter where I am…..because you are there. You are there with me. Because of this I can always be confident in feeling loved and accepted.

I can always be confident that as I get to know… to really know… myself and others…I will love. I will love myself and I will love them. I will love because I will know both myself and them better.

I will see beyond who they appear to be. I will come to see their hopes, their fears, their hurts, and their dreams. I will come to understand who they are; why they are.

Then I will love. Once I know, I will love.

Lord, I pray you would help us to know one another. I ask that you help us to see each other as you see us. Help us to better understand Lord. Help us to be kind; help us to love.
Amen.