The Blessing in the Hurt
I never would
have seen it,
if it hadn’t been
for the blessing –
the blessing in the hurt.
Not feeling
like walking at all,
I had made myself
put on my socks
and my tennis shoes
and head out
the front door
anyway.
It was evening.
It was time for my daily walk.
And since this
is a non-negotiable
that I have established
for myself this year,
feeling like it or not
had absolutely nothing
to do with it.
I knew it would
only take
a few steps
before I would
actually be
feeling like it
and thanking myself
for choosing “yes”.
Only,
the more I walked,
the more uncomfortable
I became.
A wrinkle in my sock –
no doubt there
from the quick,
haphazardly, relunctant way
I had put on my sock –
was pinching
my foot
with each and
every step.
Not wanting
to break my stride,
I kept going.
And going.
And going.
Until the
pinching
pinched me
one time too many
and I knew I
had to stop
and re-adjust my sock.
Looking up ahead
I saw a curb.
Making my way
over to it,
I placed my
hurting foot
up on it and
bent over.
And that’s
when I saw it:
this perfect
heart shaped rock –
a heartprint of God.
I would have
completely missed it,
if it hadn’t been
for the blessing
in the hurt.
Instantly,
I thought back
to all the roads
I have walked
over my lifetime.
Most recently
walks that included
the unexpected loss
of my husband
nine years ago
and the packing up
of my home
and moving to
another state
and into another season
of carrying for
my elderly mother.
Roads
I didn’t feel
like walking
at all.
Steps filled
with so much
pinching of my heart
and so much hurt.
And yet,
I couldn’t deny
it was in
these seasons –
these full of hurt places,
I had seen God
as never before –
His undeniable,
couldn’t be missed
heartprints
scattered across
each and every road,
present in
each and every moment.
Comforting.
Guiding.
Instructing.
Correcting.
Disciplining.
Healing.
Teaching.
Forgiving.
Enouraging.
Strengthening.
Orchestrating.
Defending.
Protecting.
Providing.
Holding.
Uplifting.
Sustaining.
Drawing so incredibly near.
I would never
have seen Him
to the depth
that I have,
if it hadn’t
been for the hurt –
the blessing in the hurt.
And I can’t help
thinking about Job –
who lost so much,
who suffered such pain,
who knew
and endured
so much hurt.
“I had only heard
about you before,
but now
I have seen you
with my own eyes.”
~Job 42:5
I decided
to leave the rock
right where I
found it –
in case another
walking this same road,
found themselves
hurting and stopping
in this particular spot.
And when it
comes to my God –
I will tell
of His goodness
and proclaim
His faithfulness
all the days
of my life.
Because just like me,
I know you
are walking roads
that are pinching
your heart, too.
Because just like me,
I know the journey
you are on
is full of hurt, too.
And most of all,
because just like me,
if you keep your
eyes open
and you keep your
heart open
and you keep
the deepest place of you
focused on God –
you will spot Him.
In the most unexpected
yet perfectly perfect places,
He will be there.
I would have
missed seeing God,
if it hadn’t been
for the hurt.
Are you hurting,
precious one?
Don’t miss God.
His heartprints
are always
tucked in
with the hurt.~
~Stacy
