In a Mirror Dimly

 By: Joanne Viola

Our yard is bordered by woods. Several homes are on the other side of those woods. The change of seasons has always been a blessing to my husband and I as we watch the changes which take place over the course of the year.

 

Winter brings amazement as the bare trees whistle with the blustering wind, and sparkle from the snow laden on the branches. We take delight in the spring when the budding begins to unfold. The varied shades of green spread out, hint at new growth and fullness about to occur. The summer reveals either a thickness or sparseness all dependent on the harshness of the winter.

 

And autumn … We have kept watch as the leaves have changed their color and the shedding has begun. We now have glimpses of the houses on the other side of the woods which will soon be totally visible. For months, they have been totally hidden from our view.

 

Little by little more of the outline of the houses can be seen. Soon we will see the entire houses.

 

“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror,
but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete,
but then I will know everything completely,
just as God now knows me completely.”
(1 Corinthians 13:!2, NLT)

We see life from one perspective. We see bits and pieces, and often it does not seem clear. Much is hidden from our eyes and understanding. A situation is a little foggy. We wonder if there has to be more than what meets the eye, and frustration can set in when clarity does not come.

 

Now. We want to understand it all. Now.

 

God is always looking to make us stronger, grow us deeper, and take us further than we thought we could go.

 

His plans exceed what our finite and feeble minds can imagine and handle, so He unfolds life a bit at a time. Throughout all of our lives, He will continually be at work, revealing His plans piece by piece, much like a puzzle forms a work of art.

 

“Vision is the ability to see God’s presence, to perceive God’s power, to focus on God’s plan in spite of the obstacles.” (Charles Swindoll)

 

We only see a part as if through a mirror dimly,
but one day we will see clearly.
In the meantime, we trust God who knows us completely.

 

Reflection:
How do you trust God when you cannot see a situation clearly? What verse encourages you at those very times?

 

Image by Med Ahabchane from Pixabay