I have been hearing the word glimpses all over the place this week. Does that ever happen to you? I wrote it down as I was thinking about sharing some good news with you. I heard it at church in a sermon on Sunday in reference to glimpsing God’s glory and again in book I was reading. I like this word because it feels hopeful, like I can see a bit of the good that is to come even if where I’m at is still stuck in the middle of a challenging season. 

               In this sinful world that we live in we do not always get all the answers we want to the problems that we face. Sometimes we spend years praying to God about the same struggles knowing that they may never be fully healed or resolved until heaven.  I understand that my struggles with anxiety and dizziness could turn out that way too, but I pray that I will get to see answers in the nearer future. Although my dizziness is not entirely healed, I have seen progress and have had several glimpses of God at work in my life that I wanted to share with you:

               I share these things to give God the glory for his work. I also wanted to thank you for your prayers. Many of you reached out to tell me that you were praying for me and my dizziness. I wanted you to know that God used you and is working through the prayers that you are praying.

               I also want you to know that just because I have seen these glimpses of God at work, doesn’t mean that everything is better. I still have days where I feel very anxious. I still can’t drive myself to work and I had to ask a friend to give my son a ride to a birthday party. The other day while I was practicing driving, I had to stop because going in and out of the shadows across the road was triggering too much dizziness. I never thought I would wish for clouds, but I did that day.

               I love how God also gives us surprise glimpses of his work in our lives.  I think of these as the unexpected blessings we receive or feeling his love working through others. These blessings may not even be things that we have prayed for, but are just from God knowing what we need and taking care of us. Lately for me those glimpses have looked like:

• Family and friends that love me and encourage me
• Sharing a meal with a friend
• A visit and help from my mother-in-law
• Friends providing meals
• Getting better at listening to my body’s needs
• A supportive husband who is patient with this long process
• Caring kids who are learning to help more at home
• Fur babies (dog and two cats) who can sense stress and comfort me with cuddles
• Family and friends helping with rides
• Doctors with helpful information and new ideas to try
• Hope for continued health improvement

               God is always at work in our lives, even when it feels like we are stuck in the same situation. Sometimes pausing to look for him can open our eyes to how actively he is helping and caring for us in the midst of our trials.

               I wonder, what you have been talking to God about or struggling with? I wonder, have you seen God at work in your life? Where have you caught a glimpse of him? Please consider sharing a prayer request or glimpses in the comments.  We can pray for you too and give glory to God for his work in your life too!