Hidden Mercies
I slept terribly.
I think I’m getting sick again.
Work is crazy right now.
My anxiety is rearing its ugly head. Again.
These things can be stressful. They make me want to self-preserve and conserve energy and depend on myself. I tend to experience and interpret these situations through a negative lens, automatically assuming nothing good can come from them.
However, I recently heard a sermon that challenged me to look for the Lord's hidden mercies in unexpected places—places it's easy to miss because I rule them out as negative situations.
Rather than seeing the world through the black and white lens of "good things from God" and "bad things where I must be independent," I'm learning to look for Him in the messy places.
He's gently challenging me to reframe my perspective and see Him in all circumstances, rather than just the pleasant ones:
Maybe disappointment is actually protection from something else.
Maybe the end of one thing is creating space for something new.
Maybe sadness is a reminder of the joy He offers.
Maybe pain is an invitation to growth.
Where is God's mercy showing up in hidden ways?
It's a simple question, and yet, a challenging one.
I tend to see hard things as a cause to be sad and withdraw. I'm beginning to see, though, that He truly does show up in all circumstances, especially the hard ones.
It's just a matter of learning to see and recognize His mercies when they show up.
Through Him, I can reframe hard things to remember the One who always shows up for me:
- I slept terribly, but in my weariness, I have the opportunity to see His strength carry me through the day.
- I might get sick, but maybe it's a hidden invitation to rest and quiet and restorative time in His presence. Maybe it's a gift to take a break from the hustle.
- Work might be crazy and uncertain, but perhaps it's a gentle reminder to press closer into the One who is certain when the world is not.
- My anxiety may threaten to take control, but I can call on the God who silences the wind and the waves, the God whose perfect peace stops fear in its tracks.
Reframing situations this way takes practice, but it's incredibly encouraging to look at something hard and think, "God is with me in this. I don't have to wonder if He'll show up. He will use this for His glory." His mercy makes the hard things easier to endure and the good things even sweeter.
Seeing life through the lens of mercy changes everything.