“Seek the Lord and [wait for him to show up]. Watch for him and wait on him throughout the day. Set time aside to devote yourself to prayer and other spiritual disciplines that will strengthen your faith and prepare you to receive from him. If the Lord does not show up when and how you think he should don’t get angry . . . just keep seeking.” –Dallas Willard

The beginning of the holiday season is behind us. For many, it’s only the inauguration of all things good (long friendships, family, children, good health & prosperity). For so many others, however, they have a different story. From Thanksgiving forward only serves as a reminder of what or who has been lost. And loss, it seems, only gets amplified with every Christmas carol. It gets turned up to 11 as fresh waves of lament wash over the grieving. Know this: the holidays are not a gift for everyone.

I only bring this up because if there is ever a time of the year I find friends longing for God to show up, make a way, build a bridge, heal a wound, and bind up broken hearts, it’s right now!

So, two reminders for weary hearts today:

God is drawn to the heartbroken, disoriented, and fatigued. It’s true. Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Or to say it another way, God sees good soil with those of us who are hurting. He sees an opportunity for heaven to break in. Mercy to flow; Healing to come; God isn’t a grifter looking for weak people to take advantage of. Just the opposite. He is the most generous, kind, loving person in the universe and he is looking for weak people (that’s us!) in which grace will get its way. That doesn’t mean the loss disappears. That would be beautiful. It just means God’s presence is near. And it’s his nearness that makes the difference.

Admittedly, there is also a kind of showing up, being present, that is necessary. I say “kind of” because when life falls apart, “showing up” isn’t a priority. Getting out of bed isn’t usually on the docket either. But still, something is required from us. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:6) Sometimes showing up means acknowledging God’s goodness, even when you don’t see it or feel it. Being present may be literal as well. A literal showing up—opening the Scriptures, listening, seeking, waiting, coming to church, crying through worship, receiving prayer, voicing your pain to others and God. These become moments in which we begin to trust and believe down in the deep places that God won’t waste a thing to accomplish his good purpose in our lives.