There is something in all of us, whether it is a small spark or a raging wildfire, we want to be seen. Sometimes it is simply wanting to receive credit for the good things we do, other times it is the inner struggle that is rooted much deeper, our wanting to be seen as beautiful and worthy. I am going to be honest, I so often found myself caught up in this repetitive cycle of wanting to be seen yet never feeling satisfied because what I truly am craving is actually to be known. I am slowly learning that no matter how much someone adores me or sees glimpses of my heart I am always going to come up feeling inadequate and empty, gasping for air. You see, freedom cannot truly take flight until we realize that we are created to be known and not just seen.
For anybody can look at a flower and see the beautiful colors and the way it thrives under the sunlight, beaming with confidence. Yet how easily do we miss the beauty in its journey from a small seed intimidated by the amount of space surrounding it but yet still willing to start growing roots. To be seen is to be appreciated for the way you represent yourself and it so often misses the true beauty that comes to life with every beat of your heart.
Two years ago my life went from purposeless to hope filled when I encountered a love that looked at all my flaws and broken pieces and simply called out the beauty within me. I remember the nights when desperation would take root and my heart cried out in longing for true freedom. I was tired of being chained to the ground by insecurities and fears that had rooted themselves so deeply into my heart. There were nights when I felt alone, my tears smearing the ink on my journal pages which held pieces of my story strung together by my desire to be known. Yet despite feeling as if life was often purposeless, I held onto the hope that for every thorn of heartache, a rose would emerge to remind me of the beauty in this journey.
For you see, there is an unfading beauty to be found in the pursuit of Jesus, because when you truly experience His lovesuddenly you find yourself focusing on the potential of the rose emerging rather then the tangle of thorns that are trying to choke the life from it. For so long I saw Jesus and all He did, but there was a disconnect that caused growth to stop in its tracks. We live in a world that has learned to voice its opinion, luring us into believing that beauty is a competition and that true love is an unreachable illusion.
Yet if you are willing to let down your guard allowing Jesus to truly know your heart and to not just see you every Sunday, you will find life and joy abundantly poured out.
Truly knowing Jesus isn’t just something you do, it is what brings you to life and brings redemption to hopelessness and plants flowers of beauty that thrive off of a love that will never fail to call out the potential within you. In one instant the beauty in seeking and obeying Jesus will remind you that it isn’t about being seen it is about loving the one who created you and knows you from the inside out as He whispers that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Rose and Thorn 