You Need Not Go Far To See God

The more I go through the storms of life, the more I am able to see God’s heart. Though incredibly beautiful, there’s so much more to know.  So much more to discover and uncover. Each time it’s like I’m finding more and more treasure. God makes His heart known through the quiet whispers, scripture, nature and of course through others. Many times, we, at least I, forget that God is in all things. Many times in our problems we forget that God is there. We think He’s unreachable or that He’s too far. When really,  you do not need to go far to see God. In fact, one night as I sat on the stairs bawling my eyes out, I encountered the love of God through a friend.

Story time

It was late, everyone was getting ready for bed. I on the other hand couldn’t quite make it to my room. At the time, I had so much on my mind and my emotions became too intense that I didn’t feel like doing anything. I remember, as I was walking down the stairs, it suddenly became too much for me that I immediately dropped myself onto the stairs and started to cry. Mind you, I was trying my best to be quiet as I don’t particularly like others seeing me cry but after a few minutes my friend found me, on the way to the bathroom. As soon as she saw me, she ran downstairs, grabbed the huge bean bag we had from the living room and sat just below me. She looked up and as she looked up I noticed the care and comfort radiating from her eyes that I immediately felt so much love and peace.

We actually sat and talked for quite some time and though I may not remember everything, other than the important bits of course, one thing I know for sure is that the words that came out of her mouth were definitely not hers. What she said pierced and touched my heart that I knew it was God speaking through her. She was surprised herself as she paused, squinted her eyes and said , “I don’t even know where that came from”. Funnily enough I did. And let me add, she wasn’t even Christian but Hindu. Though she may not have known God’s word, it definitely flowed through her. But it wasn’t just the words that she was saying but her very being: her actions, her eyes, the way she was looking. It was as if Jesus was sitting right in front of me, looking at me with such love, blanketing me with his comfort and care.

He is right in front of us

It was definitely crazy. Though she may have not known, she was being used by God. Through her, God was showing me His heart. In a time when I had so many things on my mind and so many things happening around me. In a time when I didn’t really quite understand the fullness of God’s heart or how He was there even if I didn’t feel it. Through her, God reminded me that He is there in the midst of my problems. When we’re alone in our rooms crouched on the floor, heart in pieces, He is there right in front of us. And in the same way, He’s there in our friend, our family members, the people around us. In fact, even before my friend came to console me, He was already there and afterwards became visible through her.

That night I was stuck in my thoughts and emotions but I realised that though the circumstances may not have changed, God was there in front of me, just as He showed through my friend. Though I may have been sitting around my problems, in the middle of that was Jesus. Everything else may be moving and changing around but once I focus my eyes on Jesus, it’s as if everything around me freezes and it becomes just me and Him sitting face to face. Jesus looking at me the same way my friend did, pouring out His love, reminding me of His truth. Not only did this incident allow me to see His heart but it made me realise the importance of one another and what it ultimately tells us about God.

Pointing back to His love

Relationships are so important, and God knew that when He put us on this earth with others. Not only can we grow and help one another but the love and comfort we receive really point to God and His love, making it tangible to us.  Every good and pure thing points us back to our loving Father. There have been so many times when I would get frustrated by the fact that I cannot physically see or touch God. Times when I would long for a hug from Him. There have also been nights where I’ve cried and said, “God I just need to You to come down right now”. “I want to physically see You, touch You, talk to You face to face”. But then I realise that actually, He isn’t far. Not only does He live inside me but through the relationships that He has placed in my life, I can see Him, I can feel His presence and capture a glimpse of His heart through them.

God lives inside each one of us and can be seen through each of us. He’s there in a conversation with a friend, He’s there in a hug from a loved one, a smile from stranger, the very foundation of marriage. He’s there in it all. But all of this, though so powerful and beautiful is only a glimpse of God’s heart. I can’t even begin to imagine how much more it actually is. Honestly, I think we’d be lost for words trying to describe. His love is far greater than the love experienced through any relationships we encounter here on earth. Like wow. Yet, God is not unreachable. He is closer to us than water is to a fish (St Catherine of Sienna). He lives inside of us and can be experienced through one another.  

If today you hear his voice, harden not your heart

Many times we think that God is far or silent when really, God is continuously speaking to us and is all around. The question is, are we being attentive? Are we seeing Him in ourselves and in others? The presence of storms does not mean the absence of God. Neither does it mean that God wants us to suffer or doesn’t care. This is far from the truth. In fact, it’s in these times you will find Him looking at you with such love, either in the form of a friend, through scripture or quiet whispers of the heart. If  you are unsure of this, think back to a moment you encountered such comfort through another person. God’s love is similar but far greater. Though we may not always see or feel it, He’s there in our pain and He’s certainly there in our joys too.  God is faithful and will never abandon us. If, like me, you are crying out to God desperately wanting to feel His presence, He’s already there. You need not go far.

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us- 1 John 4:12

Keep your heart pure. A pure heart is necessary to see God in each other. If you see God in each other, there is love for each other, then there is peace- Mother Theresa