Seeing God is said to be the why of waking every morning, the love that fills our being, the hope flowing from God through love (Jake Owensby – Looking for God in the Messy Places); Here and now, to see God, our main challenge in this life.
Yes, seeing God is what my soul craves. I walk and cry and beg God to reveal himself to me, so that I don’t feel so alone. I look for God in others, in my stirrings, in words, in the Bible, in the clouds, in nature… I’m always looking for God.
And yet I struggle to see God…
Do you see God in a way that relieves your aloneness, sorrow, or emptiness? If so, please share with me this experience…please.
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The Survivor 
For the past 3 years, I have been caring for my dad from a distance of 10 hours. He lives alone in Arkansas, had a stroke and heart attack in 2018, and now has dementia. For the past year, I have spent several days each month with him, and I’m trying to convince him to move here with us. It’s a very challenging situation, and I find myself praying HARD for direction. My frequent prayer is, “Please show me the path, and put the people in front of me who can help me get down that path.” God has answered this prayer over and over and over again.
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Truly an inspiration! What a challenging path, to respect his dignity and independence, but to also care for him in a healthy way for you. So thankful God has provided for you… Thank you for sharing!
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I practice “seeing” God through the reading (and sometimes singing 🙂) of the old hymns…I have a devotional book of a hymn per day…it helps center me
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Love this!
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I do wish for God to assuage my loneliness. I have never felt this alone. It is hard. I still know that God is there….just in next room loving me. It doesn’t stop the lonely but does hold me up. We want a feeling not just words and faith but sometimes we have to live with faith.
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I have never felt this alone either, it physically hurts sometimes. I’m sad that you are experiencing this too..
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Hi Donna – I see God working in my life every day. But, in the days & weeks & months following Roger’s death, I received in abundant measure HIS comfort, HIS peace, HIS provision (in many ways – little tangible miracles of providing for me… from financial to shoppers to the contractors that Roger had been so concerned about (because of my health, he did all the grocery shopping and he was the DIY-er doing all the home improvement projects & maintenance (plumbing, electrical, construction – you name it, he did it!)… and with my new house I’m learning just how much Roger saved us over the years (tens of thousands$$$).
I see God’s miraculous love & grace in the memories I have of Roger, in the lives of our kids & grandchildren. I see the miracles of God’s grace & mercy as I watch our kids raising their families and nurturing them to grow in faith & knowledge of our Lord & Savior, Jesus (Roger’s legacy). He who has seen Jesus has seen the Father. Living by faith in the One who created me, loves-comforts-lifts-forgives-provides-leads-LOVES-holds-teaches-gracious-loving-merciful-PEACE-protects-… the list goes on.
I see God in my life as I lean on HIS strength to “carry on”… to work through the grief… to seek HIM in what’s next for my life… and take the steps AS HE LEADS ME (doing my best not to rush before Him). This verse has become the prayer of my life in the last couple months: Psalms 143:8 (NIV) 8 “Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life.” I start every day with it (taking FOREVER to memorize it, so I keep it on my phone’s lockscreen and read it every morning and several times throughout the day.
Does this mean I don’t struggle? Nope. Everyday I’m reminded that I’m alone – I DO NOT DO WELL ALONE! Missing Roger is getting easier as time passes, but I miss him every single day. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about “what” I miss the most… companionship, touch, hugs, kisses… just being with someone who talks, listens & loves me in spite of all my flaws… someone for me to love, care and cook for… and the Lord has been leading me in this last month to be open to someone else filling my heart… to “be ready” to walk thru when HE opens that door for me. SO, I’ve accepted that I can still be grieving for Roger and be attracted to another man at the same time! For over a week, this literally tore me up… crying all the time… “how can this be?”… I sought council from two dear friends who’ve been widowed for 8 yrs, the Lord and my parents… and through much prayer, many tears and SEEKING God’s will in this, HE gave me HIS amazing & calming peace… and made it clear HE wants me to “be ready” and to be obedient and walk thru the door “when” HE OPENS it.
HE IS FAITHFUL!
These verses/passages have been special before & since we found out about Roger’s diagnosis & prognosis and became a lifeline to me after he died. The one time I asked God, “why?”, Col 1:10 (below) immediately came to mind, “so that you may….”
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB77) 22 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.
Colossians 1:10 (NASB77) 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
2 Peter 1:2-11 (NASB77) the legacy Roger wanted to pass to our sons 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
Love & hugs,
janie
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Isaiah 40:31
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❤️❤️
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“God is love”… John 1. Therefore, whenever we experience any expression of love or affection, that is a concrete manifestation of his presence. He is good, he is righteous, he is just, he is good, he is ever thoughtful and tending to us personally, yet he is invisible to our natural sight…but not to the eyes of faith.
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❤️. Thank you for this… My eyes of faith are watching.
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