Last week a woman stole my shopping cart from Kohls.
I’m not even kidding.
I came out of the restroom and it had vanished.
I asked the people from customer service and they said a woman had just taken a cart when she came out of the bathroom and she must have accidentally taken mine.
Then next few minutes were beyond comical.
Me and the manager went in high pursuit of the lost cart.
We went round and round searching. You should have seen me trying to look inconspicuous (I don’t do anything inconspicuous) as I peered into people’s carts for the cute skirt and top I had placed inside.
At one point one of the workers suggested to the manager to say something over the loud speaker.
I cracked up as I pictured him saying: “Woman, with the cart that is not yours please return it.”
After no luck in our search I went back to the scene of the crime to see if she had returned it. She had.
I couldn’t help but wish I could have seen her face when she realized she had the wrong cart.
As I was leaving the store with my goods now “safe and found” in my bag, I couldn’t help but laugh and wonder if God was trying to tell me something about “lost” things.
Just an hour prior I had been reading in Luke 15 about the lost sheep, lost coin, and the lost son.
And the day prior to that, I had lost my wedding ring. (thank God after searching for what seemed like forever I found it under my bed).
So you can see why I was wondering if this was coincidental or the Lord speaking.
A few days later we went and stayed in our camper for a couple days.
I read the story in Genesis of Hagar running away and the Lord coming after her. The part which made me weep was how God showed up and made sure she knew He hadn’t forgotten her.
And that is when I realized what was lost:
Me.
Last year I went through things which seemed so random and perplexing. It was like nothing was making sense.
I thought I was suppose to write a book and the words fell flat. I experienced complex relational stuff which seemed would never get resolved.
Then to top it off, all the arguing on the internet from different sides just made my brain feel like it was going to explode.
It felt everywhere I looked there was no clarity.
Everything looked murky and I was searching aimlessly for answers from above and the Lord seemed nowhere to be found.
So that day in the camper me and Jesus talked about all the things I just shared with you.
First off, I want to say I’ve realized when we are feeling lost and confused it can be a good thing. It causes us to get more still, search within, and allows the Lord to do deep soul work in us which we would otherwise be to busy for.
So in the story with Hagar the Angel of the Lord asks her, “Where are you going?” He knows the answers but he’s inviting her to dialogue with him.
He does the same with us. He gives us an invitation to pour out our souls and tell Him the truth on all of it.
So I did. I told him all my frustration, doubt, and fears.
And here’s the beautiful thing about it, I did receive some clarity that day, (and it helped greatly) but most of all what I felt was comforted by my Lord and seen by Him.
You and I think what we are looking for is answers, (which is partly true) but I think many times what we long for is to know we have not been forgotten and our Father in heaven sees us.
Sees us in our pain.
Our confusion.
Our doubts and fears.
Today my friend if you are feeling lost I get it, but I want to reassure you that it is not your job to find your way.
Call on the name of Jesus and He will find you. He always comes looking for His kids. He leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one.
No matter how much we may feel confused and disheartened by this world, Jesus will meet us wherever we are.
He will speak to us in ways He knows we will hear.
He will get our attention in some way.
He may even use a weird seemingly random shopping cart event to get you to take notice.
But know no matter what way He chooses, He will make sure His kids know they are found and He has been with them along.
***Take the time to watch this video made by Kathie Lee Gifford and Nicole C. Mullen. You will be so blessed my friends.
(image from pexels.com)
