What We Can't See

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The other day I was with a dear friend, sitting in a quiet sterile room. The wall was green, the floor tiles were ugly. There were various chairs, like medical chaise lounge chairs all over the room. Some along walls and windows, some across the interior of the room. Most of them had a person sitting in them. Some were old, some were young, some were in between. Some of them were alone and some were with companions. 

They were all hooked up to lines pumping some form of medication into a port in their chest or arm. As we talked, she revealed the depth of sadness she felt each time she entered that room. Everyone there was sick and scared. She didn’t want to belong there. Yet, she is fighting cancer just like they are. 

I looked around at the various men and women and smiled. 

At that moment I believed God revealed a different view to me. I reminded her that there are things going on in that room that we couldn’t see (Ephesians 6:12). Not one of those people was alone. Each one was surrounded by angels. The aesthetics in the room were drab and uninviting, but what we couldn’t see, was the most beautiful room full of God’s glory and protection. He was there. We couldn’t see it, but we could imagine what it looked like. It was gorgeous. 

It’s hard to reconcile how God allows people to suffer from horrible things like cancer, but even inside difficult situations, we can find beauty from ashes. God sees a picture of our lives that we can’t. As hard as it is, we must trust Him.

I know most of you reading this right now have been affected by cancer or other illnesses in some form, but I bet many of you have also have stories of redemption to share. Stories where God revealed beauty for ashes. There were some in that room that day, who looked sick on the outside, but inside were filled with joy and a vision of God they never would have seen had they not endured so much pain. He is beautiful. 

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthian 4:16) No matter what you are going through, know that you are never alone. Look for the beauty in the ashes. Ask God to give you eyes to see. He will— and you’ll find it.



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