My neighborhood is bursting with color right now. Our next door neighbor has a gorgeous dogwood tree full of pink and white flowers, one that delights me each spring with its blossoms (and disappoints me when they inevitably fall to the ground). The rose bush outside Adrienne’s bedroom window has tiny buds and shoots all over its branches, and barrels of tulips and daffodils can be seen on front porches up and down the street.
As winter has begun fading away, I’ve started wishing I knew more about plants. The beautiful, often unruly yellow flowering bushes I love so much are called forsythia, but I only know that after some serious googling. And I can identify those tulips and daffodils like a pro, but the other blooming plants around here are a mystery.
It doesn’t take a green thumb to appreciate God’s artwork though. Broad strokes of fuschia and fuzzy dots of white against dark branches reaching toward the turquoise sky line the roads we take to Annalyn’s school each morning. On our short commute, I point out to Annalyn my favorite blossoms and blooms, and we’ve had friendly debates about the prettiest ones.
But a few days ago, my little drama queen got herself all worked up because all the lovely plants we’ve been admiring are situated firmly in other people’s yards. “I wish WE had a pretty tree! It’s not fair! It’s like . . . like . . . we were SKIPPED!”
I laughed at her melodrama, but the truth is I’ve felt like that, too.
Many times I’ve looked around and noticed the blooms in other people’s yards and wondered, “When is it going to be my turn? Why don’t I have any flowers? God? Did You . . . did You . . . skip me?”
Maybe you’ve felt that way, too?
When you’re waiting for a promotion or a second interview, when you’re praying for a baby or a spouse, when you’re hoping that this showing, this conversation, this application or this audition will be the one.
Maybe you’ve looked around at your neighborhood, your family or your small group, your classmates or your co-workers, your book club or your aerobics class or your ministry team and wondered, “Am I the only one left? Will it ever be my turn? Why does everyone else get [fill in the blank] except me?”
I don’t know what you’re waiting for today, what dreams seem to come true for everyone else but you, what hopes are harder to hold onto every day that passes. I don’t know exactly how it feels for you to wonder if you’ve been overlooked, forgotten, skipped.
But I do know this: God has not forgotten you, and He will not skip you.
The Bible says God has written your name on the palms of His hands, that He would never forget you. Jesus said, “What is the price of five sparrows — two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”
And well before that, Moses told the people of Israel that God will not leave nor forsake them, that He won’t fail or abandon them. In other words? He won’t skip you either.
I don’t say that in the hang-in-there-kitten-poster sort of way. And I don’t say that in a comfortable all-my-dreams-have-come-true way.
I say this with the hard-won confidence and faith of someone who has been left behind and felt overlooked, someone who has felt hope slipping out of her fingers more than once, someone who will certainly feel that way again. But I’m also someone who has been surprised to find a previously plain (metaphorical) plant blossoming in her front yard.
If you’re feeling overlooked today, like you’ve been skipped when the blossoms or blessings were handed out, don’t lose hope. Your wait may be longer, your path may be curvier, but He has not forgotten you. He has not skipped you or overlooked you; your spring is coming.
God has not skipped you or overlooked you; your spring is coming. - @marycarver: Click To Tweet
by Mary Carver
Mary Carver
Mary,
I don’t know that I feel so much as skipped, as I know God has bestowed many blessings upon me, but sometimes I lament that I seem to have gotten more than my fare share of trials. Like the mulch truck backs up and dumps a huge pile in your driveway, I feel like the trial truck backed up and dumped a heaping helping of yuck in my driveway. Sometimes I’ve asked God, “Couldn’t You spread some of this around more equally?” But….yes there’s always a “but”. Had I not had my more-than-my-fair-share of trials, I know I would not have the intimate relationship with Jesus that I do. Each valley I pass through gives me confidence in God’s faithfulness and I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that He will be there no matter what life holds. Had I not gone through all the “yuck” with Him, I wouldn’t have that assurance down deep in my heart. Plus, the yuck- the mulch that’s dumped in the driveway, helps to protect, hold moisture for, provide nutrients for those beautiful plants to grow. Simply put, yuck almost always brings forth greater beauty. Whatever hand we are dealt, whether it’s one lonely forsythia bush or a gorgeous pink dogwood, God trusts us to nurture what He has blessed us with. We are not forgotten…Amen!
Blessings,
Bev xx
You said it perfectly, as it seems like I have the most trials of anyone I know. Yet I know God/Jesus is with me…protecting me…loving me and giving me the strength to go on. “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Like you, trials only strengthen my faith, as God has done wonderous things amidst all the chaos. He protects me, especially when I’m driving. He heals me, as I’ve had my share of illness lately. Most of all, I know I am forgiven for my sins, though I repent if I do something
that I know is wrong.
Thank you so much for your message. We will flower in His glory…We are blessed by God.
IN FAITH AND LOVE,
Joan,
If I had a nickel for each time I said aloud or to myself Philippians 4:13…I’d be a rich woman. Also, His grace IS sufficient for whatever trials we face and boy won’t our crowns be lovely when we finish this race before us? You are not alone!
Blessings and love,
Bev xo
Morning Bev…great reply…yes you sure have had your Blessings .
As I read your reply to my husband he said…that sounds like in the movie Fiddler on the Roof.
Have you seen it? The Papa in the movie going thru his ‘Blessings (trials) one too many said.
” THANKYOU Lord for all these Blessings but couldn’t you Bless someone else instead..now my horse Is lame”
Praying for you Bev… God is mighty in you…THANKYOU for all you share of His Love , truth and wisdom.
happy St Patrick’s Day…☘
Cheryl,
Yes, I’ve seen Fiddler and I LOVE that part. The Papa is so funny and yes, sometimes I ask, “Could you “bless” some one else instead?” I will think of that when I get to lamenting my trials when my blessings are so many 🙂 Thanks for the smile!!
Happy Sabbath and St. Pat’s Day!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Bev, I both understand feeling like you’ve gotten more than your fair share of trials and love the way you’re choosing to look at them. Thank you for sharing this encouraging perspective with us!
Hi Mary, I don’t have a Twitter account so I’m writing in reply to your comment to Bev ~ both of your comments resonate with me as I read what you’ve shared.
Mary…. Your post was exactly what I need to read today and I can relate to so many moments! I love what you said at the end, “Your wait may be longer, your path may be curvier, but He has not forgotten you. He has not skipped you or overlooked you; your spring is coming.” I definitely feel my wait has been longer and my path has been curvier…more like a long winding road that curves around for miles on end!!! I can relate to Bev and the ‘mulch truck’ and Addie about being single, no children and in my case, losing my Mom in the last year and a half (both parents gone now). My world turned upside down and many dreams I thought would be fulfilled before I lost my parents. It’s such a struggle to walk through life alone in the sense that I have no family of my own. I’m grateful for many friends who are my family and many blessings in my life. It’s been in the last little while that God keeps showing me the message, “He has not forgotten you” and I’m grateful. I guess it’s the waiting and waiting and feeling like I’ve been skipped over at times. I love ‘your spring is coming.’ Thank you!!
It is amazing how you have put how I feel in to such lovely words of hope and encouragement.
Thank you for verbalizing what it feels like to be a little child looking towards your Father and asking why not me Lord don’t forget about me Daddy. This has truly blessed and encouraged a tired soul today and I just wanted to say thank you.
You’re so welcome, Marcella. I’m grateful God used my words to encourage you!
Mary,
What a great reminder and perfect as Spring is popping up every day,!
I, too often feel skipped in many ways but know God hasn’t forgotten me and reminding myself this , I continue to move forward. I Mostly feel skipped because I am disabled with multiple illnesses and so many others my age are out working and doing what they should at this stage in life. I think that’s the most time I think maybe I was forgotten or skipped. But in so many other ways God has blessed me and I try to remember that !
Perfect for the season…
Blessings to you all…
Jen, thank you for sharing your strength and beautiful perspective on God’s blessings!
Thank you for this reminder, it’s just what I needed today!
I moved to a small town a few years ago at the Lord’s calling to serve an underprivileged community. Even though I know God has his reasons for saying Yes or No to opportunities, I’ve found my heart tugged in different directions – I’m the only childless woman in my friend group, the only single, the only one with no family close by. I had career aspirations that were going so well until God called me here, and now I can see my former colleagues getting the opportunities I’d worked for and still desire but am being rejected from because of my current job that’s off that career path. And because I’m from far away, there’s no one to celebrate special days with, like when I passed my birthday completely forgotten and unnoticed last year. I know I’m not alone and I know there are eternal rewards to be reaped from good deeds being overlooked on earth, and I know the Lord has good planned out for me, but it’s still comforting to read your words this morning 🙂
Praying for you Addie. Believing for close friends to celebrate life with you. He sees you where you are and He knows your every need.
Oh wow, Addie. Being alone, even when we know the Lord is with us, is so difficult. Praying He gives you comfort and peace in your current situation and sends you a friend to ease the human loneliness you face!
Just what I needed this morning, Mary! I’m in a phase of having to work harder to overcome comparison and that feeling of being left behind that inevitably comes with it. I have to remember to turn to God’s word, and remember His blessings for me are just different than His blessings for others!
Now, on the plant/flower ignorance… I, too, suffer with that same ignorance! BUT, I’ve found a tool that’s helping me!… There is a nifty little app called “Picture This”. Take a picture of the plant/flower in question, ask for identification, and it searches databases of images and information to identify it for you! So far, I’ve had 100% success rate with it. And it’s FREE. Try it out.
Thank you for your faithfulness and willingness to help your sisters not lose sight of our worth and the love of our Father! Julie
Oooh, thanks for the plant-identifying tip, Julie! And for your kind words. I’m grateful God used this post to encourage you!
I loved this article, Mary. Thank you for sharing your heart! I can relate to every word.
Blessings,
Rachael
You’re welcome, Rachael. Thank you for reading and being part of the community here!
Mary,
You put this so beautifully Mary thank-you for sharing your words.
Be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Romans 12:2
Sometimes what we think is best for us, isn’t, and what we might hope for might not be what God has in mind. But by our trust and faith He is working things out for us for the good. Although there are hardships to be faced, and I might not get my own way, there is always Hope in the Unseen, a glorious surprise.
I hope that you all have a blessed day,
Penny
Great and true word, Penny. Thank you!
Mary,
Lysa Terkeurst says in her book It’s Not Supposed to be This Way “Living here in the messy middle between two Edens we will have trials.” “God uses trials to mold & shape us into His likeness”. Even Jesus did not dull the pain before enduring the cross. He felt ALL the whippings & nails. He did it so He can empathize with us in our trials. There are times I wish God would take some trials away, but then I realize each one is building my character & helping me to encourage others. There have been seasons when I felt left out/overlooked. I wondered if I would ever “make it”. All along God was grooming me for something better. I had 10 years of caring for aging parents & their health issues. I thought I was done with that in 2017. Surprise God had other plans. Both in-laws landed in ER on Thanksgiving week. FIL diagnosis eventually was stage III bladder cancer & surgery. MIL was transferred to another bigger hospital for heart cath (original diagnosis was UTI went septic). Now I get to help hubby care for them. Having done that Jesus has seen fit to put me in a hospital clerical job in ICU Step Down. I can encourage the RNs & LPNs plus empathize with the patients. God will never leave nor forsake us. He is with us always! Never loose hope or heart. Call out to Him & He will answer.
Blessings 🙂
Beth, your positive outlook on your difficult situation is inspiring. Thank you for sharing your story here! And thank you for sharing the quotes from Lysa’s book. So good!
Mary,
Lysa Terkeurst states in her book It’s Not Supposed to be This way that “Living in the messy middle between two Edens we will have trials.” “God uses trials to mold us into His likeness. Everyone has seasons when it feels like God has overlooked or forgotten you. That is not the case. He is right there with you walking you through your situation. Psalm 23 states it best “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear NO evil for thou art with me. Thy rod & thy staff they comfort me. We need trials & disappointments to grow us spiritually & emotionally. Jesus on the way to the cross did not “dull” the pain in any way. He felt ALL the stings & blows so He could easily empathize with us in our sufferings. I’ve had ten years of dealing with aging parents. I thought I was finished with that. God knew better. Thanksgiving 2017 both in-laws were in hospital. FIL diagnosed stage III bladder cancer. MIL diagnosed with UTI went septic. She was transferred to a larger hospital to for a heart cath. God is using all that to bless me with a good job at hospital in ICU Step Down. I can easily encourage the nurses & empathize with patients. Don’t waste the “yuck or manure”. Let it do it’s job God has intended.
Blessings:)
Leaning into this truth, Mary.
And thankful for the reminder that spring bloom comes in different ways and at different times to all our lives.
Love this! Also can you please pray for my friend Mimi’s husband Ed? He was just diagnosed with cancer and I know they will appreciate the prayers! Thank you so much! ❤️
Yes, Stephanie – praying that Ed and Mimi feel God’s presence as they face this situation, that Ed is surrounded by wise, compassionate doctors and a supportive community, and that God heals him completely.
I will be PRAYING for your friends husband.
Love you, Mary Carver. Always grateful for your writing, your voice, and your encouragement. xx
Thank you. 🙂 Right back at you, friend!
Today, at 73, I still feel skipped over, or the last one to be picked to be on the team. I know that it is just feelings not reality. The truth is that the Evil one, Satan, doesn’t care about our feelings. He is a user and abuser. We must call him out for the father of lies that he is. Dear sisters of our God, let us remember that He calls us His beloved. Also that our rewards are not in this world and that one day, as Andre Crouch so eloquently wrote, Through It All, we have learned to depend on His word.
Loretta, thank you so much for that encouragement! I am sorry you still feel skipped over at times, and I’m praying God provides you comfort and loving community and makes His presence in your life felt and known this week.
Thank you so much for this post. So much encouragement in this post. I sometimes have these feelings slip up into my mind myself. God is good “all the time”
AMEN