Kids love Hide and Seek and a good Easter egg hunt. Finding things brings such delight!
Think you’re too old to play Hide and Seek? If you’re like me, you seek God during dark trials. Finding Him would bring you such delight—and peace.
How can God be found? July 4th will give us a reminder. What’s the secret to spotting fireworks? Simple. Look up. In the darkness you’ll find beautiful lights.
Sounds easy. Not so easy when we’re trying to find God in our struggles.
Where are You God? Are You still there? My child’s in torment. How can I help him see Your hand in his life when I can’t find you?
It’s hard to trust Him when we can’t track Him.
CAN God be found? Does He want us to find Him? Yes.
Psalm 14:2 tells us, “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.”
In Hebrews 11:6 we read His promise that, “Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Deuteronomy 4:29 even tells us how to seek Him.
“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Psalm 63:1 gives us an example.
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”
1 Chronicles 22:19 tells us, “Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God.”
In Matthew 4:12-16 we read about the fulfillment of God’s promise. That Light will come into the world. God sent His Son to provide light in darkness.
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2
His light is much more than a beautiful burst of colors that brightens the sky and quickly disappears. His light illuminates our heart with lasting and perfect peace.
“…because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Luke 1:78-79
Where is His light? Remember what you do when you enjoy fireworks: look up. He’s hiding in plain sight.
He can even reveal Himself to your child who has mental illness (MI). Read how he did it for our son:
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God revealed His presence and protection to me when Chris was out of touch from reality. I experienced His faithfulness when Chris was in the psychiatric unit. I felt His peace when Chris went to the partial-care unit. Chris, however, still couldn’t see how much healing had taken place because he was busy making up schoolwork. His torment pierced my heart.
“God doesn’t love me. Why did He let my life get so shattered?”
I had no response. Only a plea for God.
Father, please help Chris know You still love him. Reveal Yourself to him.
Soon after, God answered my simple prayer in two powerful ways.
Chris gradually weaned back to school. Starting first with only one or two days a week. Building up to a full week. He even started going to musical practices. This was a risky move because it involved a great deal of stress. Students had to audition to be in the jazz band at Chris’s school. The director selected professional-level music. During Chris’s recovery, he hadn’t practiced his trombone. Was he ready? Could he handle the pressure?
One day, the band traveled to a nursing home for a performance. One of the other trombone players, Adam, didn’t show up. So, the director asked Chris to play his part (without any preparation or notice!)
As they were walking up to the stage, he turned to Chris and said, “I need you to play Adam’s part.”
Chris proceeded to sight read the other part perfectly! He even spontaneously created an improvisation solo that would fit the background music. Chris’s fellow musicians were stunned to witness what Chris was able to do. They didn’t’ know the half of it. They didn’t realize he was recovering from an illness that affected his mind.
God revealed His love and faithfulness to Chris when he took several tests. Anyone would be stressed at the thought of taking a pre-calculus test. Chris had to make up SEVERAL in just ten days. On one of the make-up tests, there was a problem none of the other students got correct. But Chris got it correct!
Chris finished that school year on time with all his work made up, earning nothing lower than a B on his report card. A report card which included several college level AP courses.
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Yes, God can reveal His love and faithfulness even to our children who have MI.
Hillsong’s God is Able
MI: mom 2 mom 
Thank you so much for sharing this story!
You’re welcome. Trust it encouraged you in some way. God’s blessing to you,
Vicki
Dear Vicki,
I just read your testimony about how God was and is so faithful in our times of trials and tribulation. Wow! I pray that someday I, too, can share about Keith overcoming, (with God at his side) his tough times. Your witness to God though this time in your life and that of Chris, is so encouraging and evidence of God’s goodness, when we are at a point when we do not see a way when things could possibly workout for the good, He showers us with blessings beyond belief. Jeriamiah 29:11 instantly comes to mind.
I, for one, though, never can see the good in all the bad. I have a narrow view and negative thoughts after going thru so much in my life, I believe due to Keith. I pray for a change in my “stinking thinking” a lot and when I read something like this, it really points out to me that I have put God aside way too much and me way too much into the picture. I am ashamed to admit this, but its true.
At this point, inmy life and Keith’s, the control I thought I had was in essence no control at all, except in my deluded thinking. In the last few very difficult years, I have been forced to accepting never had any control, at all, ever!!!!!! It’s been a hard journey, to say the least. I have never been a mom who stands by and not tried to “fix” everything and everybody. In the 12 step program, it is called enabling. I just hate that term. I wonder why. Guilty as charged.
What Chris was able to do in his life after such challenges is amazing! Your simple prayer was answered in so many ways that Gods power and love can overcome huge obstacles(to our eyes) but nothing nothing is impossible for our great God!!!!!!!
If you would have a minute, Vicki, I would ask for just a simple prayer for myself and husband as we are in SC visiting our son, dil and 6 grandchildren. Our little dog does not respond well to the children; they make him nervous and it is a big concern for me as there have been areas of concern before.
Thank you so much.
God bless
Hope you are doing ok in the summer heat. Air conditioning is the trick, thank God for it.
Love,
Patty
Dear Patty,
I can completely understand that “stinking thinking” you experience. Based on my own personal experience with mental illness (MI), I believe narrow and negative thoughts are normal reactions to ongoing foreign and dangerous situations.
Life with MI in the home has a way of changing your thinking. When things were the worst for us, we began to expect the unexpected. We braced ourselves for unprovoked violence. Because we needed to be alert to anything. Ready to respond to explosive or bazaar behaviors. Kinda like living with a trickle of adrenaline running inside at all times. A hyper vigilant state not at all normal, but necessary to survive physically, mentally, and emotionally.
MI certainly is a powerful force to face. It can shield our vision of God’s power working.
It’s a horrible feeling to realize you don’t have control. I’ve faced that reality numerous times with Chris. Helpless doesn’t begin to describe the feeling.
But when I finally realized I couldn’t control things at all, that was actually the best place to be. That’s when my heavenly Father began to reveal His control. Divine care far better than I could ever provide for Chris. Love more perfect than even a mother’s love.
It took me a while to learn to pray for God to give me a glimpse of God’s control in Chris’s life. Praying for Chris specifically helps me see God’s faithfulness and protection in his life.
I look forward to the day when you’ll be able to share how God worked mightily in Keith’s life through his tough times. Yes, nothing is impossible for our great God!
I’ve prayed a simple prayer for your dog and grandchildren. Will continue to offer prayers while you’re in SC…for calmness between kids and dog, for sweet fellowship, for traveling mercies…
I’m doing OK in this oppressive heat. So grateful we have air conditioning. Will use my cooling vest when I go to a Christian writer’s critique group Thursday night.
Blessings,
Dear Vicki:
I can relate to *EVERY* thing you have written! In my home, at one time my Mom, me and my daughter were *ALL* on antidepressants! You too, take care, GOD bless you and yours.
Patty:
I am lifting you and your family up in prayers; I only just now read your letter.
Please take care, GOD bless you and yours!
Dear Claire,
It’s a comfort when someone understands what you’re going through. As I meet more partners in this journey, my prayer list grows. I always pray for peace in the homes and in the hearts, for clarity of thought and restoration of relationships. You’ll be in my prayers, dear friend.