Take the Picture Today

 

By: Sarah Geringer

You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.

Psalm 39:5 NIV

My friend Lisa posted: "Take the picture." She writes about grief from a hard-won perspective, and I have deep respect for her wisdom.

But as I read her post, I thought, "I don't want to take the picture today." I took a couple photos of a beautiful sunrise and my Thanksgiving food, but not of myself, because today I was grieving and not feeling camera-worthy. Maybe you can relate.

In this holiday season, I have so many friends going through hard things. Some have financial or relationship struggles. Others face empty nests. Some are in countdowns of awful health situations. Others are grieving sudden deaths. We don't like to take photos of these hard things.

I'm in my own challenging season of grief. This holiday season is one where the pictures I'll take will look different than before, and that makes me feel a little sad.

However, I know that I need to take the picture today - not for today's self, but the person I'll be in the future. She'll want to look back and see the steps to victory in the day-to-day breaths I have now. I can't clearly see them now, but she'll see them clearer later.

Maybe it's time for you to take the picture today too. Not just because life is short and we're not guaranteed another day, nor are our loved ones. That's an important motive, but what about the photos of ourselves that will track our progress on our spiritual journeys?

Are you reluctant to take the picture today? Here's encouragement for you.
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My friend Tracie posts lots of pictures of her smiles. I'm sure she doesn't take those photos only when she feels super happy. Tracie not only takes them regularly - she shares them because she knows others need to see someone smiling at them in their hard days. When I see her posts, they always make me smile.

In these days that are just a breath in the light of eternity, take the picture today. The imperfect picture of yourself choosing gratitude, doing the hard thing, trusting God with the outcome, and smiling in the face of challenges. You'll look back on that photo someday and count the victory you can't see today. Yet God is already standing there in the future, holding up your picture of today as proof that he is always faithful to you, working in and through the hard things.

Also, if you're brave like Lisa and Tracie, go ahead and share your pictures online. You never know how you'll encourage someone else when you take the picture today, even in your hard thing, and put an encouraging word with it in your caption. Post it knowing that God is not only securing the victory for you in your day that lasts no longer than a breath, but will use your story to point others back to him.

I pray that if you are reluctant to take the picture today, this devotion encouraged you. If you want me to pray for you, reach out to me HERE.

 

Blessings and God's peace to you,

Sarah Geringer 

Finding Peace in God's Word

Photo from Canva.com

 

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Reflection questions:

1. When have you been reluctant to take a picture of yourself?

2. Who do you know will appreciate it if you take the picture today (and consider posting it too)?

 

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.