God Caught My Attention with This
Aug 13, 2018 13:20:23 GMT
Post by luke2231 on Aug 13, 2018 13:20:23 GMT
For a few years, I've been following a young woman on social media. She went through a season of depression and her solution to break free from that was to leave anonymous "love" letters around her city for random individuals to be told "it's alright, I know you're struggling." Because everyone struggles with something. Eventually, it turned into a global campaign and thousands of people send letters of encouragement to strangers just because they can.
Last night was one of those kinds of nights for me... you know the kind. Despite knowing that God's got this, it's impossible to quench the worries and wonderings in your mind about all the "what if's" and "if only's." I couldn't sleep. I fully believe that God is working out things for my good and those of our ES and all our family - and for you too - but Satan crept in and took hold in my overtired brain. I was scared, and lonely, and overwhelmed. In spite of that sense of overwhelming emotions, I somehow still felt empty. Have you been there? Do you fall prey to this sometimes too?
But this morning, I got up and had a few notifications and saw this post from Hannah. It spoke to all my nighttime fears and doubts. I KNOW that God meant this for me. He means it for you too. Maybe not today, but some day when Satan's snuck in through the back door.
"Just because it feels empty right now does not mean the story is over for you.
Gosh, I know the emptiness. I’ve felt it in the deep of me. I need you to know you’re not crazy. You’re not crazy for feeling like you’re missing pieces. You’re not crazy for wanting more. You’re not crazy for wondering why, when life is actually good, you can’t seem to savor it or say thank you enough to God. You’re not crazy for wondering if you’ll ever feel like there’s a point to all of this… if the darkness will cease… if you will ever feel whole.
Just because it feels empty does not mean it’s over. I heard these words today as I was praying in church. God said them over me and while I don’t need them for this moment, I have to believe someone else does. I have to believe these words were meant for someone who wants to give up the fight. Your emptiness is not a symbol of defeat. Whether you believe it or not, your emptiness might be an open door. It might be the chance to start praying for something new. It might be the beginning to a new chapter. Don’t discount the emptiness.
You might feel empty but the story isn’t over. There’s more for you. There’s good for you. There’s an end to the restlessness, the seeking and the searching. God is with you in the dark. Even when you don’t feel him, He is there. He’s not distant. He’s not scared of you. He’s not tricking you or hiding from you. Keep pressing into the darkness. Even if your hope is the smallest flicker, let it be bright. Someone is praying fiercely for you. We need you here."
If you're interested, here's Hannah's TED talk about those letters. And I'm currently reading her book Come Matter Here. It's about her struggles with depression and how even in the midst of a good life, we have to keep fighting to have that good. It can be too easy to forget that we matter when pain and sadness overtake our thoughts. Personally, if estrangement does anything to mess with our heads and hearts, it tells us that because our children don't think we matter, we don't. That's a lie though. We do. We matter because the Lord says we do. We matter because He loves us. (Well, she says it better than I do, but that's the gist of it.)
Sending my hopes and prayers for you to feel loved, heard and valued...
Last night was one of those kinds of nights for me... you know the kind. Despite knowing that God's got this, it's impossible to quench the worries and wonderings in your mind about all the "what if's" and "if only's." I couldn't sleep. I fully believe that God is working out things for my good and those of our ES and all our family - and for you too - but Satan crept in and took hold in my overtired brain. I was scared, and lonely, and overwhelmed. In spite of that sense of overwhelming emotions, I somehow still felt empty. Have you been there? Do you fall prey to this sometimes too?
But this morning, I got up and had a few notifications and saw this post from Hannah. It spoke to all my nighttime fears and doubts. I KNOW that God meant this for me. He means it for you too. Maybe not today, but some day when Satan's snuck in through the back door.
"Just because it feels empty right now does not mean the story is over for you.
Gosh, I know the emptiness. I’ve felt it in the deep of me. I need you to know you’re not crazy. You’re not crazy for feeling like you’re missing pieces. You’re not crazy for wanting more. You’re not crazy for wondering why, when life is actually good, you can’t seem to savor it or say thank you enough to God. You’re not crazy for wondering if you’ll ever feel like there’s a point to all of this… if the darkness will cease… if you will ever feel whole.
Just because it feels empty does not mean it’s over. I heard these words today as I was praying in church. God said them over me and while I don’t need them for this moment, I have to believe someone else does. I have to believe these words were meant for someone who wants to give up the fight. Your emptiness is not a symbol of defeat. Whether you believe it or not, your emptiness might be an open door. It might be the chance to start praying for something new. It might be the beginning to a new chapter. Don’t discount the emptiness.
You might feel empty but the story isn’t over. There’s more for you. There’s good for you. There’s an end to the restlessness, the seeking and the searching. God is with you in the dark. Even when you don’t feel him, He is there. He’s not distant. He’s not scared of you. He’s not tricking you or hiding from you. Keep pressing into the darkness. Even if your hope is the smallest flicker, let it be bright. Someone is praying fiercely for you. We need you here."
If you're interested, here's Hannah's TED talk about those letters. And I'm currently reading her book Come Matter Here. It's about her struggles with depression and how even in the midst of a good life, we have to keep fighting to have that good. It can be too easy to forget that we matter when pain and sadness overtake our thoughts. Personally, if estrangement does anything to mess with our heads and hearts, it tells us that because our children don't think we matter, we don't. That's a lie though. We do. We matter because the Lord says we do. We matter because He loves us. (Well, she says it better than I do, but that's the gist of it.)
Sending my hopes and prayers for you to feel loved, heard and valued...