At first glance you would think I was defeated.
My life a minefield of devastation an example of what can happen when life happens.
At first glance I’m a barely breathing, heart barely beating example of what defeat looks like.
At first glance you would assume the tears were of sorrow; borrowed from someone worse off than me.
At first glance I was worn, torn wearing scars like scarves, made up to make up for what the world had taken without a fight.
But I invite you to look again. Back up, adjust your view and take another look.
The desperation for my demise made you miss what was really there. LooK again.
This time stay a while; long enough to see me rise from what looked like ashes but instead was God’s favor-sprinkles, glistening like gold dust as His hand pulled me from places that others had dropped me and walked away.
But their departure was God’s way of making room to do his best work. Hmm…it’s amazing how folks think they’re hurting you when they leave. If they only knew that they were helping by getting out of the way before He made the decision to remove them. (See how good God is, he can even bless your enemies, lol)
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Look again, I encourage you for the truth beckons.
The tears you saw were an overflow of joy, so much joy!
Loss was merely spring cleaning! Diagnosis opportunity to strengthen and stretch those faith muscles, and promises made in earnest yet broken by forgetful hearts, merely a way for God to show us that we never needed anyone but Him.
Look again and what you will see is a woman standing on legs that were once broken.
Look again and you will see a woman thriving, striving and winning against odds built to bend and break.
Look again; the uncertainty gave her strength to run straight into God's arms. Her smile defies the lies, and the goodbyes.
The cries in the midnight are now of gratitude, shouts of platitudes and much attitude because she knows what God was really doing in spite of what it looked like at first glance.
When the door slammed shut, when the check didn’t come or clear. She knew the agenda, , the reason, and the lesson.
She knew triumph would come after the storm because He'd planned the success before He allowed the storm.
Look again and you will see a woman chosen for the challenge.
Look again, you’ll see joy, healing, victory; a woman surrounded by those who really love her, not left alone.
Don’t be fooled by that first glance. Look again and you’ll see a woman living in her second chance, basking in showers that feel like reign.
Look again and you’ll see the truth, a victor over pain, look again, close...closer. Look again and you'll see me.
Photo credit: Steven Wright for Unsplash
