Looking for Beauty

I have felt as though I have been in a state of soul-death this last year, and these days, I'm finding beauty to be my faithful companion in reminding me of God's constant presence.

As I walked a new trail today, I looked for my faithful companion. There was so much brown sticking up out of the hills, yet in the midst of all the winter death, signs of spring-life were beginning to take hold.

Wildflowers were coming to life and I saw some plants with these little round, bright yellow flowers I have not seen since our nomad days when we spent four weeks in Cyprus. Oh, the joy I felt at seeing those little round flowers flooded me as I was taken back through those memories!

Have you ever taken the time to sit and watch hummingbirds and how they flutter from flower to flower in search of nectar? They are amazing little creatures! I stood there in awe as I observed those beautiful little creatures explore the new growth.

As I saw the life springing forth from the winter death, I was reminded of how just as a seed has to fall off a tree and die before finding its purpose toward becoming a tree, new life cannot happen without death.

In the same way, I felt as though God was showing me this state of soul-death is not without its purpose. Something is happening even though I cannot see it and it feels like death.

Even though it has felt as though he has been so far away, my faithful friend, Beauty, has been reminding me that He is with me. He is at work. He is constant. He is good. He is joy. His work is not yet finished. Winter is not forever. Life will peek it's way up eventually and it will be beautiful.