I see you.

I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long couple of weeks. I’ve found myself pouring out in more ways than expected and being pulled in more directions than desired. (I know. No different than any other week. I’m sure I sound like a broken record by now but indulge me if you will. 😊) Recently, a friend of mine asked me some simple questions that caused me to stop for the first time in a while and think:

What have you needed this week? How have you felt loved and seen?

Honestly, her simple, yet poignant questions took me aback and caused me to do some prayerful self-examination. As with most weeks, I had spent my recent time pouring out to others and caring for their needs. I hadn’t taken any time out to consider my own. Similarly, I feel like my life’s work is ensuring that others feel loved and seen. Outside of my marriage, I never take much time to consider that question on my behalf. Maybe you can relate.

Maybe you are the last person on your to do list. Maybe you have bought the lie that your needs come secondary to everyone and everything else. Maybe you think you’re not worthy of being loved and that if anyone ever truly saw you, they would reject or abandon you.  Maybe you have grown so accustomed to blending into the background or catering to the needs and wants of others, you think that your needs don’t count. Well, if that’s you today, let me first say that you are worth being loved, and that in fact you are loved beyond measure. Our Lord and Savior loved you so much that He descended from His throne in glory to die for you as a demonstration of His love. And He sees you at the very point of your need and is intercessing on your behalf. If no one else sees you, He sees you and He invites you to bring all of your needs and desires and burdens to Him so that He can meet you right where you are.

Hagar found this to be true. In case you don’t know her story, here’s some background. God promised Abram and Sarai (the patriarch of our faith and his wife) that they would have a son. However, Sarai grew tired of waiting and took matters into her own hands. She convinced Abram to lay with Hagar, and Hagar conceived. After Hagar became pregnant, she was dismissive of Sarai. So Sarai started treating Hagar so badly that Hagar ran away into the wilderness. The Angel of the Lord met her there, calls her by name, and asks her two simple questions: “Where have you come from and where are you going?” Hagar responded that she was running from Sarai, and the Angel told her that she would bear a son and she was to name him Ishmael, and that the number of her offspring will be too great to count. Then he told her to go back. In response, she calls the messenger El Roi-the God who sees because he saw her right in her situation (Genesis 21:14-20)(ESV)The beautiful thing is Hagar didn’t have to go searching for God. He was right there ready to help and encourage her. Such is the same for us.

When we are vulnerable and open our hearts to God, we find that He’s been there the entire time, waiting for us to be honest about what we need so that He can help us. In fact, He’s knows what we stand in need of before we ever ask. The problem is that we often forfeit His help because we’re so busy we forget that we need help to get through our days. We try to navigate the challenges of our life because we think we can do it on our own; we’re accustomed to doing it on our own. We’ll save the big things for God but we can handle the day to day. Even sadder, we forfeit His help because we expect other people or other things to meet the needs that only God can meet.

We run to relationships, food, substances, shopping, busyness, titles, accolades all to try to fill the emptiness and ache of our soul that is custom designed for God. We get frustrated when people or efforts fail us, but the truth is that it was an exercise in futility from the start. They never had the capacity to meet our soul’s needs. They were not created to be the lover of our souls. And some of us are exhausted because we’ve been on this roller coaster for years and we don’t know how to stop the ride so that we can get off. Well, if that’s you today, let me provide you with an emergency exit.

I invite you to take a break today from the busyness and demands of your life. Find a comfortable place. Sit, stand, lie down, do whatever makes you feel most at ease. Then imagine that Jesus is right in front of you, asking:

What do you need right now? What do you need this week?

How can I reassure you that you are loved and seen?    

Then, honestly pour out your heart before God and let El Roi meet you right where you are. He’s waiting, ready and capable to fill your every need.