A Prayer to Remember Even When Our Eyes Can’t See
By: Maggie Meadows Cooper
“But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” - John 5:17
Not too long ago, we had snow in my little southern town. Beautiful white flakes blowing and swirling and falling all over the place. Some big, some small, but all bringing joy to little and big hearts alike. And as I sat there watching them fall outside my window, my heart and mind were turning with what the Lord was revealing to me through them.
You see, this was the first time it had snowed in my little hometown in four years. And it had been four years before that. And four years before that…you get the picture. As each winter rolls around, we Southerners pray and watch the weather reports for any minuscule chance of getting to see snow. We allow ourselves to hope and wait expectantly just in case… but many years, as the end of February rolls around, we realize our hopes will not come to fruition. With some disappointment, we set our hopes aside until next year.
I feel like we do this in life too. We all have hopes and dreams we pray for. We long for God to answer our prayers and show us reminders of who He is right away, only to be disappointed when that doesn’t happen. A year passes, then two, then three, and we wonder if He’s still there… if He even hears or sees us. We lose our excitement, anticipation, or expectant hope of what He is going to do because it seems it’s been too long. But y’all, then that fourth year comes. And He “shows up.” He reminds us of His beauty and glory and majesty and faithfulness because we see with our eyes tangible evidence of His work and presence. We praise and “feel” close to Him again, thanking Him for this wonderful moment.
But y’all, guess what? That moment won’t last. The snow is falling, only to last a few hours…maybe a day at most… and then it will be gone. But that’s the difference between earthly circumstances and the Lord. Weather patterns change and snow comes and goes, but the Lord never does! Even when you can’t see Him or feel Him, He is still there! Here are just a few verses to remind us of God’s constant presence with us:
“Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!”- Psalm 116:2
“The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him…” 2 Chronicles 16:9
“But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” John 5:17
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
In His perfect timing, the Lord answers our prayers and shows us what He can do. Some of us have longer periods of waiting than others, but when our prayer is answered - when we see and experience that moment of God working (whether it looks like what you thought or not) - we have a decision to make. Will it make any change in our lives? Will we remember? Because that moment won’t last forever.
The seasons of highs and lows, of mountains and valleys, they all come and go. And if we don’t allow the Lord’s teaching and provision in those “feel good” moments, it’s going to be even more difficult in the in-between. We must cling to Him, His truth, and soak up every little lesson so that later, we will remember and be able to tell others of His goodness until it comes again, just like we do in between those “snow years”.
Don’t give up in the hard years y’all. Don’t let doubt fill your time of drought. He is still there, working and moving and growing you behind the scenes, waiting for the perfect time to show you and remind you of His beauty. Thank the Lord for His gifts, ask Him to speak to your heart and give you strength and peace and joy to sustain you until He is “seen” again, and pray for all of it to “stick.”
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for showing up at just the right time. Thank you for reminding me who You are and how faithfully you care for me. Help me to never forget all you have done, are doing, and are going to do in my life. Let all of your lessons and your Word “stick,” that I may serve you and share you and stand firm in the in-between times.
In Your Mighty Name,
Amen
Maggie Meadows Cooper is a wife, mom, educator, author, and blogger with a longing for women to grow a heart for Jesus and others. She is the author of the children’s book “Bumper” and blogs at The Little Moments about what the Lord is teaching her through her children and everyday life. She contributes to Blogs by Christian Women, Devotional Diva, She Disciples, and Connecting Ministries. An educator with an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University (War Eagle!), she has twenty years of experience working with young children. She loves all things chocolate, real Coca-Cola, and lives with her husband, three children, and two rambunctious dogs in Opelika, Alabama.
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Originally published Tuesday, 22 February 2022.
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