He Sees the Big Picture

For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. I JOHN 3:20 ESV 

When my sister started dating her husband, I immediately knew it was a perfect match. However, he didn’t realize that as a little girl, she would slap me square in the eye socket if I ever tried to cuddle with her. So when I realized this gentle giant found my sister as irresistibly cuddly as I did, I said a prayer for him: “Lord, bless his soul, and protect his face.” Kidding, but not really. 

They finally got engaged, and their original desire was to simply elope. But, as it often does, the wedding plans changed, and they agreed to be married in the mountains of Colorado surrounded by family and friends. The invitations were sent, the dress was purchased, the vendors were booked, and everything appeared to be smooth sailing. 

But, a couple of days before their March 20, 2020, wedding day, the entire world shut down. Goodness gracious, “devastating” is an understatement as to how we all felt. While Covid would come to ruin and destroy so much more than my sister’s wedding, it was still very hard to see the disappointment on her face. What was supposed to be the most magical day of her life, was tragically canceled. But as it turns out, God was able to use this situation to bring about some very cool circumstances: 

The baker donated the wedding cakes to a nursing home full of quarantined elderly who were unable to love on their families. 

The wedding coordinator donated all the flowers to a local hospital hosting a “Thank You” luncheon for weary and overworked healthcare professionals. 

My sister and brother-in-law ended up eloping anyway in a private ceremony led by one of our childhood best friends, and her workplace hired a last-minute professional photographer for the occasion. 

Initially, it felt like their wedding day dreams were robbed from them; however, God used that unfortunate circumstance to bless hundreds of people, and He granted them the desires of their hearts to be married intimately with no one else around. 

The cool thing about God is He has an aerial view of time. His eyes can span across our past, present, and future; therefore, He always knows what is best for us. He sees the big picture. And trust me, the masterpiece He is painting of your life will be more beautiful and meaningful than you can ever imagine! 

God, You see the big picture. May Your will be done in my life always. Amen. 

This is an excerpt from Goodness Gracious: 90 Unfiltered Devotions for This Sometimes-Too-Serious Life by Hannah Crews – a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.