Encouragement: When Only God Sees

One of the truths that our family tries to live by daily, especially where homeschooling is concerned, is "Do everything for the glory of God." That means everything. My children (students) may feel like they read, tackle tough algebraic problems, and write for no other reason than to check it off their schedules. I may struggle through writing an article that I feel no one may read or be impacted by. However, we must continually remind ourselves that God sees - and that we need to do our very best in all aspects of our daily lives, no matter how mundane the tasks seem to us.


Today I was fortunate enough to be included as a writer for a national devotions site: www.christiandevotions.com. I hope it encourages you today and in your daily walk - be it with writing or whatever else you might struggle with. The featured piece is below:


When Only God Sees
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalms 139:15-16

Unexpectedly, a woman who has been a thorn in my side for several years, approached me with a gift—a book titled, When Only God Sees. I was astonished with her gesture since she has complained about my teaching style and the style of other teachers as well. She handed me the book and said she wanted me to know “He sees” and that she really does appreciate what I do. This gesture of kindness spoke volumes about what she thought of me as a teacher. It humbled me regarding my attitude toward her.
When Only God Sees is the story of a woman who feels like no one can see her efforts as a wife and mother. She feels ignored and unappreciated. A friend who returns from Europe, gives her a book about cathedrals. She is irritated at first, thinking her friend should realize it will make her long for far away places. When she begins reading it, she learns that most of the cathedral builders were never known, nor did they live to see their cathedrals completed.
There is a story of a monk who carves an intricate bird into a beam he knows will be hidden behind the walls. When someone asks him why he spent so much time on something no one would see, he answers, “God sees.”
God sees everything we are doing – no matter what time of day or night. He hears what we say during the course of the day and how we love our children and spouses. He sees our struggles and triumphs. We’re building cathedrals here on earth in the work we do and the families we raise, and that’s storing up even greater treasures in heaven. We’ll probably never see our earthly cathedrals finished, but what we do now makes a difference. And He sees.
Remember that in whatever we do, we are to do the best we can for His glory. Live transparently, because He sees.
QUOTE: A reader encouraged by this devotion offered this: "In the depth of winter I found within me an invincible summer!"