When do I see God?

I heard the song Vice Verses by Switchfoot tonight on my walk... one of the things the lead singer said was "This song is about the plurality of life -- even as we are living, we are beginning to die -- It's not meant to be a morbid thought... while we are here on earth, while we still have breath, we should want to make our life count."

Periodically, I take breaks from social media, specifically to spend more time in prayer, seeking God's face for a specific time frame (of His choosing) for specific needs. I'm planning on doing that again... and was reminded of what I wrote three years ago, after my first extended Facebook "break":

When Do I See God?

I see Him when broken lives are made new When grieving people stop to count their blessings When His Light shines through in the midst of a dark world When sinful hearts try to measure the depths of His immeasurable Love and Grace That's when I see God most clearly.

God will not allow us to be more broken than what is necessary to allow His Light and His Love to shine through.

It's in the brokenness of our sins and our struggles that we get to the end of ourselves and realize how desperately we need a Savior and Redeemer.

When do I see God? When I walk away and He quickly runs after me When He gives beauty for my ashes When He interrupts my thoughts with the sound of birds singing when it's raining When I hear a baby cry and He reminds me that all my babies live each day with Him, and have never had to cry When life gets busy and He slows me down to watch as He sets the evening sun When I get to experience deep laughter that leads to joyful tears When I hear my husband praying and asking to be blessed with a child When someone mails me a sweet note on a card or a hand-written thought of encouragement, that is when I see God.

But when does God feel nearest to me? When I have been betrayed. When I have been forgiven. When I've cried for mercy. When I've shouted "Why, God, Why?" Where there are no answers. When I am weak and when by His grace, I am strong. When I am given ONE. MORE. BREATH.

That is when I feel Him near.

SO, from this point forward, what do I want? All I want - is to see God All I want to do - is to feel Him near.

I must intentionally choose to focus on the eternal and not the temporary.

Every moment Every day

Through Christ alone, I have as much access to God's presence as I want.

I now know what REALLY matters. I will no longer waste my life in a virtual world. I will live to appreciate the gift of each new day. I will cherish the gift of my loving husband. I will pray for a pure heart. I will cling to the truth of God's life-giving Word with all that I am.

I will KNOW that when I have no answers for the unimaginable horrors of this life, His Word is my anchor when my faith is tossed, His faithfulness is true, and I will never be alone.

In this depraved world, in the face of unexplained evil, terrible disasters, hurts beyond comprehension, God is our only hope. He is the Only Way, the Only Truth and the Only One who gives us eternal life.

Thank you, Jesus, for one more day. May I never again waste any moments on the things that do not matter. In Jesus Name, I pray, AMEN!