“Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.”   Psalm 119:18

I took my daughter Sydney to the orthodontist the other day.  I picked her up from school and being just the two of us, she was able to snag the coveted passenger seat…and in a family of six, while not being the oldest child, that doesn’t happen often.

As we were driving, we passed some roadkill and Sydney asked, “what was that?!”

“What” I returned with surprise, “the roadkill?”

As if a light bulb went off in her head, she exclaimed “Ooooohhhh!  That’s what roadkill is!”

I couldn’t believe she had never seen roadkill!

In a state where deer, squirrels, and bunnies practically out number people and one or the other can be found squished on any given side street or highway, you’d think she’d have noticed.  But when I thought about it, vision can be very limited when you sit in the back of a van your entire life.

Because of the seats or other things blocking the view, it is easy to focus on yourself instead of what’s going on outside the van…and often you don’t even realize there is a bigger picture whizzing by because you aren’t able to see it clearly.

When we’re struggling, isn’t that exactly how we see life??  We focus on what is most affecting us; an upcoming exam or paper due, a fight we had with our significant other, the empty fridge or lint filled pockets, our broken or hurting body, job loss, difficult children, unhappy marriage…

The list could go on and on and one may even seem more trivial to us than another, but it’s not to the person in the middle of it.

Thankfully there is more than what concerns us, there is more going on than just our pain.  God has a reason and a plan for everything and although we can not see it, He is using our struggle for His glory and if we remain faithful, He will one day open our eyes, remove the things blocking our view and allow us to see.

“So the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.”   Isaiah 51:11

SIDE NOTE: In God's great wisdom and perfect planning, He allowed Sydney an eye opening, up-close and personal example right in front of our house.  A poor bunny literally lost it's head... and has been just a wonderful illustration.
Will someone come get this thing?  Really...wonderful illustration no longer needed.