SEEn by Mary Beth Chapman

There’s something sacred about being seen. Not just glanced at or noticed … but really, truly SEEn.

In the hardest seasons of my life—especially after losing Maria—I found myself questioning everything. I had followed Jesus. I had trusted Him. I had completely trusted that our family was to adopt, again. And then … suddenly, I was standing in the middle of a story I never would’ve written. My heart shattered, unsure if I could ever piece my faith and my trust in a good God back together.

But here’s what I learned in the dark: Even when I couldn’t feel God, even when I couldn’t see God, He still held me, and He still saw me.

I was not invisible in my pain. I wasn’t overlooked in my confusion or doubt. I was SEEn by a God who doesn’t flinch at our hard places and doesn’t abandon us when we’re completely undone. And that changed everything—not all at once but little by little.

I used to think faith meant being sure, having the answers, staying strong. But now I know faith looks more like limping (or hobbling as our son Caleb likes to say) forward—tears in your eyes, heart shattered wide open, still choosing to believe that God is good and He is near.

Being SEEn, I believe, gives us the courage to do that. Because when you know the God of the universe sees you—really sees you—you don’t have to pretend anymore. You can bring your whole, broken, beautiful self to Him and fall down in His presence. And in His eyes, you are precious. You are enough.

Trusting Him doesn’t mean we understand the story. But it does mean we trust the Author of the story. And sometimes, that trust is just a whisper or a gritted guttural cry, OK God … one more step. I’ll keep walking.

There’s a scripture I’ve held close: Psalm 119, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

That lamp doesn’t show the whole road—just the next step. And that’s enough.I don’t need to see the ending to believe He’s still writing something good. That has not come easy, and on many days, it is still difficult. But I choose to keep believing it. Over and over again, I keep believing it.

So wherever you are in your story today, know this: You are SEEn. You are loved. You are held. And even if your faith feels small and your heart is tired, you can still move forward, you can still limp or crawl forward—because the One who sees you will also sustain you … every single time.