Shadowed Corners...

Have you ever felt cornered in Life by impactful circumstances that are so out of your control and seem to paralyze you by its force? 

Have you ever found yourself cornered by your unfulfilled yearnings that grow so deep you don’t know how to release them and move forward? 

Have you ever witnessed a loved ones corner that seems almost impossible to join because you don’t know how to stand with them? 

This year alone has reaped some hard places for myself and for so many loved ones around me. The amount of need for endurance amidst the wavering storms has felt almost impossible to attain in some of the journeys. Yet, the relentless love of the Lord to satisfy and to sustain His children has been evident thru the darkest of hours.

IN my quiet time the other day, There was a shadowing in the far corner of the room.  And I could not help but focus on the distinctly different shadowing from the light it reflected. Sage had positioned her 2 baby dolls holding hands and the light brought forth its shadow in the corner. I thought, how many times does life take us to the cornered places- and that in the shadowing of pain and of loss- that the hands holding us help us feel positioned to rest and to find our ground to step out again. 

Corners by definition:

 1- a place or angle where two or more sides meet

2- a part, region, area regarded as secluded or remote

3- force into a place or situation from which it is hard to escape. 

a place where two or more sides meet…   Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” 

a part, region, area regarded as secluded or remote…  Acts 17:26  the vivid visual of its truth just impacted me so deep: 

"And he made from one-man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”

Determined allotted periods…

boundaries of their dwelling place…

this reminded me that allotment and boundaries are accounted for: they have been prepared, tended to, and are intended for its growth. 

force into a place or situation from which it is hard to escape… Ps. 139:5 “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” 

In church yesterday, we worshipped to the incredible song : “Christ all around me”. 

Above and below me

before and behind me

in every eye that sees me

Christ be all around me. 

As I sang this deep song, I thought back to that shadow in the corner and how many people I know right now who are standing in a corner in their life: in a place of great need feeling secluded, hard to escape, and needing its sides to hold them up. 

Above and below me...Before and behind me…Christ be all around me…

I believe that these corners we find ourselves in- the corners we are asked to know of those around us- the corners that we have lived in the past- that we fear before us- that these corners are hemming us in for His presence to be all around us. and I thought how am I fighting in that corner to believe in the words that as the song proclaims, ‘His life, His death, His blood was shed for every moment.” Again, Acts 17:26: there is allotted periods, boundaries for our dwelling. 

How are past corners keeping us from vulnerability with others to meet us in our place of need? How are the yearnings of the present being a tool for our refinement? How are the fears of the future holding me feeling no escape in the present? 

It is hard pressed that this year I can not count on my hands alone how many hurting, grieving hearts I am walking with in this season. 

As people find themselves in their corner or in the the corner of a loved one: 

the immense grief of tragic loss, hard releases…

Singles walking desire of marriage…

Married wrestling dissension…

Families walking infertility

Parents burdening over the parenthood demands…

missionaries transitioning cultures…

Lives shifted by moves, season changes…

elderly fighting for current purpose…

marginalized hoping to be seen, to be rescued…

Although these positions call for its different dynamics and its changing rhythms, thru each story there are similar battles at hand: 

We all face the realities to either feel hemmed in or to feel without escape. 

When we feel hemmed in, then the corner is able to meet its sides with grace and with resting ground. Its held up with sustenance. 

How can we find our corner- our hard place- our allotted period to find our ground? 

 When we let people know our story, stand with us, then the shadows of the corner take in the light of hands holding together- The corners are not forgotten. They are not without escape. They are positioned for others to join the place of need and that in “every eye that sees me, Christ be all around me.” 

Although the grieving corner is one of the easiest places to feel without escape, I have witnessed the Christ be before me voice that shouts loudly in its positioning. Being part of this corner, either in our own life, or in the lives of others- reminds us of the eternal. ITs a forced place from which it is hard to escape. Yet, when we turn our ears from the faithfulness of their stories then we risk staying cornered in our own view, allowing hopelessness to be what hems us in. But oh the richness of Ps. 73:24: You guide me in your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.” 

Love this part of the song that says, as I go, Hand of God, My defense, by my side, As I rest, breath of God fall upon, bring me Peace.”

Cornered. In my Corner. IN Your corner. 

By my side: Christ hems us in. He is all around us. There is defense for us- there is rest- there is Peace. 

Let others be part of your corner, for its a place where you can find much defense, guided counsel and may you see "Christ be all around you.”

May we be able to shout Hebrews 11: 10 in our cornered places: 

"For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”