Excerpt
You Are Seen
Day 1God Knows You and Your FutureYour eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
—Psalm 139:16
Oftentimes, my biggest anxieties stem from when I’m worried about what today, tomorrow, or some date far in the future will look like. The words in Psalm 139:16 bring me so much peace because they remind me that God designed each day of my life with love and purpose. The Lord not only understands me better than anyone, but He also knows what each day of my life is going to be like—and He knows the same for you too. He even knows your inner thoughts and your worries about things like whether you’ll be sitting alone at lunch or what’s going to happen when you take your math test. This is why we can trust that everything that has happened and will happen is in God’s good hands.
It’s amazing to think that God was watching you even before you were born as you grew inside your mother’s womb! Psalm 139:13 tells us that He actually “knit” you together. You are not an accident! Anxiety builds when we view our bodies with shame, but the Bible tells us that God, in His goodness, designed our bodies intentionally. He has a purpose in designing your height and the color of your eyes—and even more, He has a design for your life. Don’t allow your thoughts to tell you anything opposite of what the Bible says about you or God. Trust that He knows what’s happening today, tomorrow, and each day ahead, just like He knows every detail of your being. As a good Father, He is setting things up to meet your needs and help you make the most of every day. In His eyes, you are His masterpiece!
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God, I don’t know what will happen later today, but I know You do. I trust that You will be with me no matter what I face. Help me to think positive thoughts about what’s next in my life and not to worry, even if things are hard right now. You made me and You know me. I’m not an accident. Thank You for giving me life. Help me make the most of it. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Day 2God Knows Your Anxious ThoughtsSearch me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
—Psalm 139:23–24
In these verses, the psalmist is praying, asking God to look deeply into his heart and mind and to know his anxious thoughts. Over time, I’ve learned to allow my feelings to come to the surface instead of stuffing them inside. Sometimes I punch a pillow or run up and down the stairs or write out what I’m worrying about in a journal. When I allow myself to feel what I feel, I sense peace and healing in my spirit. Since God already knows why we are feeling anxious, we may as well go to Him with an invitation to not only “know” us but guide our thoughts to focus on truth. Whether we show our emotions or not, God knows everything we feel, and He cares.
The anxiety we feel can sometimes be in response to living in a way that is offensive to God. When I was a teenager, if I talked back to my mom or borrowed something from my brother without asking, I didn’t always realize how much those seemingly small sins weighed me down. I came to find that asking Him to search my heart and see if there is anything offensive in me puts me in a place of surrender. It opens my eyes and lessens my anxiety because I’m doing things that glorify Him. If we’re open to hearing what God has to say, He will help us live in a way that honors Him and will provide a solid path toward peace and away from anxiety.
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Dear God, I don’t always understand my anxiety or the confusion in my mind, but I know that You know me deeply and that You care. Father, I trust that You love me no matter what You find in my heart. I’m sorry for the things I have done that are offensive to You and others. Show me if things I’ve done are at the root of my anxiety. Thank You for being willing to help me when I am a mess inside and for being my faithful guide so I can live a wonderful and blessed life. Lead me out of my anxiety! Help me open my heart to receive Your peace. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Day 3God Knows the Reasons for All Your TearsYou keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
—Psalm 56:8, NLT
Imagine how gentle you need to be to preserve a teardrop. I know I couldn’t do it! This is evidence of an awesome God who truly cares. God doesn’t just know when we shed tears. He knows why. And if God cares deeply enough to hold on to something as small as the tears we cry, He must care even more deeply about the worries that cause each tear. I often remind myself that the Lord will never abandon me—and the same goes for you. The next time you find yourself crying over whatever is worrying you, know that God is tender toward your pain and He loves you.
When I was a teenager there were some days when I locked myself in my room and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I didn’t want to cry! But there I was, helpless to stop the hot, stinging flow of sadness and frustration from streaming down my face. I cried when I didn’t make the cheer team. I cried when some other girl started dating my crush. I cried when uncaring adults in my life were rude to me and hurt my feelings.
None of our secret tears are hidden from God. He knows us inside and out. He collects our tears in His bottle and records each one in His book. Our sorrows matter to God so much that He doesn’t ignore them. He takes notice because He sees and knows us—all the small and big things that concern us today. When we collect something, it’s meaningful to us. Precious. Valuable. God never ignores our pain!
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Lord, thank You for wiping the tears from my face when I’m too weak to wipe them myself. I know that You are with me and that You join me in my suffering. You know me, Lord! I pray that You would give me, Your child, peace. Lift me when I am at my all-time low. I know You will help me. Thank You for caring so deeply. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Day 4God Knows Your Emotions and Gives You GraceEven if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.
—1 John 3:20, NLT
Do you ever feel like you deserve the trouble you are in? I do! I tell myself that I’m lazy or stupid or that I have no self-control. I hit the Snooze button and then I’m late for school. My math test scores are miserable. I eat too much ice cream. Shame floods my thoughts, and I feel unworthy of God’s love and care for me. I even begin to wonder why anyone would want to spend time with me. Maybe there is someone in your life who calls you names or puts you down on a regular basis. I’ve learned that our true enemy, the devil, looks for ways to discourage us and make us feel worthless. He is on the hunt to find us in our weak moments and defeat us. He even uses the people around us to work against us.
Jesus is the exact opposite. He knows that we are not perfect. Neither are our parents. Or our friends. He gives grace to them, and to us. God is greater than our feelings, and He knows every thought that goes through our heads. Even then, He comes to us with love and truth.
God will always show us the areas of our lives we need to change—like giving ourselves time to study or eating healthier. But He never points a finger to make us feel small or worthless; rather, He assists us when we feel like we can’t change. Instead of manipulating us, God lovingly convicts us and shows us that He is there, willing and ready to help us grow. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by shame or feelings of failure, remember that God knows exactly who you are, and He views you as His cherished child. Even when you do things you wish you hadn’t, God loves you and cares for your well-being.
