I heard a bird outside my window, singing loudly and chirping in the coldness. I looked for him in my hydrangea bush, thinking I would find him perched on one of the outstretched branches. With no success, I could not see him. Yet . . . I still heard him — a birdsong in the bleakness of winter.
I knew he was out there, so I stubbornly kept looking. Leaning forward, craning my neck in all directions, until I finally found him in the last place I thought he should be — singing his heart from the middle of my cold, hard sidewalk.
How I wished I could be like this bird. Not afraid of the cold. Confident in the exposure. Singing in the hardness. Instead, I was hiding on my sofa, in my fuzzy pajamas, surrounded by a snowy blanket of soggy tissues. My confidence and joy were gone after my divorce, custody battles, and now an unplanned hysterectomy.
But God was trying to show me something through this bold, beautiful little bird. God was calling to me, singing His song for me and quieting my sobbing with His love. He reminded me that His joy — a joy that I did not have to produce on my own — would be my strength.
We expect to find God in branches of blessings — in a happy family, a successful job, a warm house, and a stress-free life. We think if we do not have them, He does not care for us. We think that if everything goes wrong, we did something wrong . . . as if He turned away the moment we fell away.
Listen . . . God is calling us. Keep listening, for He is singing in the coldness of our discomfort. In the hardness of our struggles.
He is calling us to find Him. He is calling us to love Him. He is calling us to see that He is there, in our messy mess — in the battle — singing a promise of victory.
“The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
Where was God in my divorce? In the court-filled days when I fought for the custody of my only child? In the hysterectomy shattering any possibilities for future children? In all my battles ending in failure?
He was there. Even there. Always there.
Through my feathered friend’s song, I was gently reminded how to be still and listen for God’s call.
Be still . . . and trust He is there, even in the bleakness. Be still . . . and know that He is God. He will never change His mind about His love for us. His grace will never be withdrawn from us. Nothing we ever do will cancel what He has already done for us.
He is singing out my name — a name engraved on the palms of His hands. He is singing in the middle of my darkness, my sickness, my loss. He is singing, even when I mess up, fall down, and get turned around.
God is calling, promising I will find Him: “You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you” (Jeremiah 29:13-14).
God is calling, asking that I trust Him: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
God is calling . . . so I hold out my hands full of hopes and dreams and place everything at His feet. Then I still myself, and listen for Him with all my heart, mind, and soul.
And, in the quiet — in my cold, hard bleakness — I hear God’s loving melody calling for me, drawing me closer with His song of joy.
These words are beautiful — and we’re so thankful you chose to share them with us at (in)courage. Grace to you, Jess!
Thank you so much. I love your site and the encouragement you give to so many women. We are stronger together in Christ!
Love the reminder that “God is calling”… always calling us.. thank you Jess for sharing part of your life journey in this beautiful reflection.
You are so welcome. ♡
What wonderful words of encouraging truth! Thank you for sharing! He is there. EVEN there. ALWAYS THERE! Blessings (((0))).
Thank you! ♡
Amen!
♡
He is there and he will guide us through our darkest times. He did it for me when I went went through my separation and divorce and years later blessed me with an even better life than ever imagined. Prays to you and keep asking for his guidance.
Thank you for your prayers. And yes! God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. (Ephesians 4:20) Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for this heart warming reminder God is ALWAYS there!
You are so welcome. Yes He is!
I am thinking of the verse in Jeremiah about searching for God and you WILL find him when you search with all your heart. I was asking God why I wasn’t finding him. Maybe today it’s about getting quiet and listening for his voice to guide me to him. Thank you for sharing your pain and struggle. This helped me today.
So glad this helped encourage you. Remember He will never leave you nor forsake you. Praying for you Sherry.
A beautiful truth beautifully shared, thank you!
Thank you Kathy!
Zeph 3:17 is a favorite scripture. I love to think of God singing over me. What a beautiful picture. As we’re covered in a blanket of beautiful snow and temperatures well below freezing this week, with thankfully nothing on the calendar, plenty of opportunity to listen for His voice. Speak Lord, your servant is listening.
Thank you for sharing this.
Amen! ♡
I really needed to read this today! Thank you for your beautiful words to remind me of the truths that sometimes get lost in the turmoil of life. ❤️
So glad this blessed you Ann!
Simply beautiful
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing God’s truth and love. You draw us in with your beautiful, well written words. May God continue to comfort you and hold you close.
Thank you so much. Your kind words touched my heart today.
This is beautiful! I want to SEE where God speaks to my ❤️like you did with this bird. I want to HEAR God singing over me. Your story brings hope that He is with me even, or especially in the cold, hard places. Thank you for sharing this.
“Hope” is one of my favorite words. The actual definition means “to expect with confidence and trust.” TRUST that God is with you! ♡
Praying for you Anna that God may open your eyes and ears to His Presence.
Dear Jess, I hope your life has turned a corner to a happier existence. You have certainly weathered some tough trials. May God shower many blessings on you now!
Thank you Irene. I had many trials and may have more, but I found a ever-flowing joy deep within me from my Heavenly Father. So no matter the circumstances that life may bring, I know He is with me and will help me get through them all. ❤️
What a wonderful, uplifting message. It is written from someone who has been there through the bleakness through the loss of joy and through guilt. The best messages come from people who have walked in other’s shoes. I’m very grateful for this beautiful message.
Thank you ❤️ Amen! So glad this encouraged you!
Thank you Jess, remaining us to be still and trust God in mist of our situation. May God continue to comfort you and grant you his peace.
Thank you!
Beautiful ❤️ so it is. It reminds me away last year when doing my Dad Home help for him. A we Robin flew into his house when I got was doing it. It was scared and frightened. But it reminded me of how to be still trust God no matter what we go through. When I get scared and frightened in different ways. I had some fun of trying to get it out of my Dad’s outside his home again to the fresh air again. Where it was happy to be outside again when I got the we Robin outside. I knew it was happy as it sat on the window sill and sang at me. So it reminds me God is calling and asking us to trust him no matter what we go through. To know he take us through it safely like the Robin scared and all. Trusted me to get it back outside to fresh air again after flying into my Dad’s house by mistake. Especially when it became scared and frightened. We have too do the same with God when we as his followers become scared and frightened in different situations in life when they crop up. Love today’s reading as it speaks of being still and having that real trust at those times as follower of Jesus. Knowing Jesus will take us through these difficult moments and see us through them safely like the we Robin saw me get him out of my Dad’s house safely. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx
Yes! So true! Keep trusting in Him. Thank you!
Very good enjoyed it
Thank you! So glad you liked it.
Beautifully written from a place of vulnerability and pain. Thank you…blessings!
Thank you. May there be purpose from the pain to give praise to His name. ❤️
Oh Jess, I can’t even begin to explain how much this touched me, thank you! The last several years have been tough for me with hardly a break in between the blows, but God found a way recently to let me know that He sees me and I cried. As you said, He is there, even there, always there. It’s true that it’s been unbelievably hard for me lately, but in a way, I’ve never felt closer to Him. Blessings to you and the entire (in)courage family!
You are welcome. I am so glad this encouraged you, and you have been able to draw close to His side. Keep trusting in Him Cheyla. He is with you and WILL help you through.
I am praying for you.
Jess,
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I went through a dark time in Fall of 2021. My job duties changed drastically & I was depressed. It was one of the hardest times in my life. Yet God was with me. I felt little nudges to hang in there. As always He saw me through the valley of shadow of death. I didn’t fear, but trusted that He would change things. Fast forward to Dec. 2023 & Jesus changed my job duties once again. This time to a job with more clerical duties. He has changed my attitude to one of oy.
Blessings 🙂