One Exciting Way to Understand God's Love for Us - Jeanne Takenaka
Have you ever considered God’s love as a treasure?
When I was a girl, my parents loved taking my sisters and me to the mountains for summer hikes. We’d romp through meadows, slog up steep hills, and I’d search for gold. One time, I spied something shiny in the dirt. I snatched it up and raced to show my parents my treasure, certain it was going to make me wealthy.
My dad gently told me it was fool’s gold. Still gold, right? “It’s called mica, Jeanne. It’s not valuable.”
Oh.
Decades have passed since my girlhood discovery of fool’s gold. But I still enjoy searching for treasure. Many times I was certain I’d found treasure in the forms of affirmation, acceptance, or love. In relationships, in circumstances, in things. But, sooner or later, they all revealed themselves for what they were: fool’s gold.
When I search for treasures in the wrong places, what I find and value will always disappoint. It seems the darkest places are where treasure begins to shine. In my season of infertility, I discovered treasure as I got real with God about my disappointment in what He was—or wasn’t—doing in my life and situation.
One Exciting Way to Understand God's Love for Us—It seems the darkest places are where treasure begins to shine #tellhisstory #godslove Click To Tweet
During that dark season, I truly began to understand the depth of God’s love. That realization became the treasure that brought me through the rest of that painful time. When I looked beyond my own emptiness, God revealed how He longed to fill me.
Searching for Treasure
Many times since then, I‘ve searched for treasure. Sometimes, I longed for affirmation from others or yearned for recognition for things I did. Always, I find disappointment when that shiny treasure fades.
But an early morning walk, with chirping birds and the sun dawning with soft pinks and oranges, reveals treasures in the quiet of a new day. Glimpsing God’s beauty, His handiwork in the world around me reminds me I’m surrounded by His presence. He puts His love on display.
I’m seen by Him.
This spring, with illness, stress, the growing pains of letting go, elation, and lots of busyness, I’ve found it’s too easy to become sidetracked by life’s hard. When I focus on the difficulties, I forget to search for the gifts God places in my days. Instead, my gaze narrows in on the struggles.
Just because I’m consumed by things in my life doesn’t mean my Father hasn’t left little treasures for me to find. Sometimes all it takes to discover God’s fingerprints is the willingness to fix our eyes on Him rather than on circumstances.
One Exciting Way to Understand God's Love for Us—Sometimes all it takes to discover God’s fingerprints is the willingness to fix our eyes on Him rather than circumstances. #tellhisstory #godslove Click To Tweet
Life will rain down difficulty on us. At times, we may feel overwhelmed by many hard circumstances pelting us simultaneously. That’s when we most need to lean into this reality. It’s in the dark seasons when we need to be vulnerable before the Father who loves us most.
When we convince ourselves we must be strong on our own, we’ll feel the most isolated, even unloved. I believe if we look, we will find treasures—love notes from God to us.
Where Do We Catch Glimpses of God’s Love?
- In His word. God’s love notes are penned across every page. Sometimes, we need to be still, read with intention, and meditate on His word.
- In the presence of safe people. When we’re struggling in a hard season, God places safe people around to remind us of truth and offer us support.
- In places we enjoy. My morning walks offer stillness, which invites me to be more open to ponder and pour out my heart, knowing God’s listening.
- In His creation. Whether it’s walking beside the ocean, among mountain flowers, or in a meadow with blue skies overhead, I sense God’s love for me. He knows the unique things that speak love to each of His kids.
I’ve seen God’s fingerprints the most clearly when walking through trials. In the busy times, in the hard seasons, when I honestly seek Him and confess where my heart’s at, that’s when He meets me.
Treasure rarely appears the way we expect and is seldom discovered in the places we think we’ll find it. Maybe the best way to discover real treasure is to find moments of stillness when we’re honest before God and looking for His fingerprints.
Though I’ve yet to find an actual gold nugget on a hike, I’ve found many other treasures that are far more soul-filling. God loves each of us uniquely and perfectly. Are we looking for the treasures He’s crafted just for us?
What about you? Where have you found genuine treasure in your life? When have you known God’s love and presence in a painful season?
Most weeks, I link up with Grace and Truth, Anita Ojeda, Instaencouragements, and sometimes Let’s Have Coffee. Come join and read more encouraging posts!
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