Things we can’t see, and our God which we can

…for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. —Colossians 1:16

In my heartbreak, my mom and I will compare my life with my brother’s. This is a good thing. It’s good because my mom enters the story of my pain. She doesn’t crush it, ignore it, downplay it, or dismiss it. She just lets it out with me. When it out, it’s better. She can’t fix it, but she can—and does—sit with it with me.  And that makes all the difference.

Oh, my brother?  He always bounces. I break.

I break because you can’t work hard and get a love of your life. You can’t get children this way, either.

So, in one sense, you are kind of handed things, or, in my case, you’re not handed things. When not being in love or not being a dad gets too heavy for me, I think about this verse when my soul quiets itself again. I think of what Paul, the attributed author of Colossians says:  that God is at work in the things that I cannot see. That God has created everything brings me comfort. That God is at work in the world in ways that I cannot see makes me lean on and trust him more. It is then that the tears that I have crying from pain turn to tears of joy.

Said simply, and I think Paul would agree, God’s got this. And we can see this.

My pain may be very similar to yours, or something entirely different. But pain is pain when you take away the details. While I am not sure what could bring you tears, I do know God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth, including you. He does have this. He does have you.

And this is what we need to know.

PRAYER: God of our tears, it really hurts sometimes for all of us. That You are there, in front of and behind the scenes, draws us to you (hopefully sooner than later). Just be there for us like my mom is for me. That’s enough. And it’s really good. Amen.