5 Minute Fridays/ Counting Gifts/ Spiritual

Does He Care?

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Participating in 5 Minute Friday.

5 minutes to write about one word. Unedited.

Word: CARE

GO:

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Does He Care?

Do you find yourself asking this question of our God?

Do you find yourself just in the pit of pain and hardship, wondering when and if it will ever let up?

If you have been there or if you are there now, I shout it loud.

HE CARES.

This fallen world that is not our ultimate home is full of disorder, pain & suffering.  This is not how it was meant to be, and someday all will be restored.  Until that day, I want to grab on to this:

HE. CARES. FOR. YOU.

God’s got your back, Beloved.  He is for you.  He sees your struggle, hurt and pain.  He sees and promises to bring good out of it all.  There will be release.  There is hope.  It will get better.

In the meantime, join me in looking for His care.  It is all around us you know.

The past month or so has been a doozy for me and honestly there were days that were pure suffering for me both physically and mentally.  I hated every minute of it, but in the midst of it, I knew God still had me.  I knew this because He has brought me through so much already. When I look back, I see it clear that He has used pain and suffering in my life to bring about what matters most.  He has used it to change me.  He has used it to show me how desperately I needed Him and the hope that the suffering of His Son brought.

So in your pain, I encourage you to hold on.  Grasp hard to what is true.

YOU ARE LOVED. YOU ARE SEEN.

Hold on, even if it by that teeny tiny pinkie.  Raising your hand in faith, even in the midst of slipping, is obedience. Faith the size of a mustard seed can be miraculous when offered to God. You may feel weak, with only the smallest of fingers left holding on; a lonely, scary feeling of losing grip & falling, but guess what?  In your weakness He is strong. He is your strength.  His grasp, even in the slipping, is enough.  He’s got you. His grip is gentle and thorough and enough.


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Do you not feel it?  Do you not see it?

I know. I’ve lost sight too.

Let me encourage you to ask for eyes to see the smallest glimpses of this God who loves us so.  Look for the beauty in the pain.  It is there.  Focus on that bright red leaf that falls, dying yet beautiful, a reminder of seasons and how all things will be made new in time.

Find your thankfulness, even in the pain…especially in the pain. Thank Him for even the smallest of things when you can’t bear to look up for anything bigger.

Count them with me?

1. The taste of coffee in the morning.

2. A smile from a stranger.

3. A soft pillow to lay your hurting head.

4. Music.

5. That shirt you are wearing.

It might seem mundane and not worth your while, but just do it.  Start listing the gifts.  There are so many.  Join me.  I’ve stopped counting blessings and I miss the way it changed me and made me see how He cares. It will also change you.  Thankfulness in the midst of pain will change you.

This change might not happen right away, but keep at it.  Let us count together, claim the promise that He cares for us, hold on with the smallest of fingers & open our eyes even to the smallest of blessings.

Let’s count, change, and see together.

In turn, we will start to feel what we know is true.  Sooner rather than later, we will feel His care.

STOP.

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Will you join me & list a few gifts right here and now in the comments?  I’d love to hear of the things that you see, for they, too, will change me.

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  • Mandie
    October 29, 2014 at 11:40 am

    I know you posted this a while ago but I just started following your blog. I think what you are doing is so very helpful to so many people. My life has crumbled down around me as I sat and watched it. Cancer is eating away at those I love from the inside out. I just cannot understand how something that God created to be so beautiful and good can have something like cancer invade and destroy it. From reading your blog I can tell that your goodness and beauty, with the help of God, is winning the fight. That is an amazing thing. It helps to see someone’s journey who is in the battle winning. It give me confidence that maybe there still is good in the world and God has not deserted us. It helps to know that it is just as hard for others to see Him sometimes as it is for me to see him. Its very comforting to know I am not alone. I am going to try to be thankful in the pain. Right now all I can muster is being thankful for my warm fleece sweater. It is making the outside of me feel warm and cozy at least. Thank you again for your willingness to express your life on this blog for others to see. It helps a lot.

    • AmyNewNostalgia
      October 30, 2014 at 10:06 am

      Hi Mandie,
      Wish I could give you a hug. Cancer sucks. It is horrible, and so is watching those you love suffer from it. I’m so glad you found comfort in my words and I pray that warm fleece sweater & your choice to be thankful for that very thing helped heal your heart a bit. Thankfulness has been so key for me in the midst of suffering.

      Here is a great article on the whys of suffering from one of my favs…Jen Hatmaker– http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2013/09/17/why-does-god-allow-pain-and-suffering>

      Here a more in depth article of the Christian theology & suffering.
      https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2012/07/why-does-god-allow-tragedy-and-suffering/

      I’m so thankful you left a comment for me. I whispered your name to God just now…He knows you, sees you, holds you and loves you. I pray you will feel that in the midst of the hard.

      Amy

  • Sandra Davidson
    October 16, 2014 at 7:14 pm

    “My sweet cat who always sits beside even as I go through this terrible detoxing of a pain medicine that I have been on for 10 years but because of change in price I can’t afford anymore and my body is full of pain.

  • Jodi W.
    October 12, 2014 at 6:59 am

    Hi Amy……I’m also going through a difficult time. Thyroidectomy due to cancer and celiac disease, not to mention the CFS, fibromyalgia and lots of hormonal issues. I try to count my blessings everyday but sometime I falter……thank you for the reminder.

    God be with you as I know he is!
    Jodi from Ohio

    • AmyNewNostalgia
      October 13, 2014 at 8:32 pm

      I’m sorry to hear Jodi. Cancer is enough, but then add all the other health issues…so hard! Physical pain + emotional pain of hormone issues = what I am sure is an uphill battle to count blessings.

      I’m having one of those faltering days. I’m so thankful the sun sets and rises bringing new days and new chances to notice the blessing in it all. Thank you for sharing. I just said a prayer for you!

  • Peggy
    October 11, 2014 at 3:15 pm

    the smell of a freshly mown lawn, black fur that covers everything, spackle, homemade pizza, walking along a cobble stone road. little and odd but things I am thankful for right now as they mean so much to me.

    • AmyNewNostalgia
      October 13, 2014 at 8:35 pm

      Love this! Cobble stone road..yes! Spackle — made me smile! 😛

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