📖 “You hem me in, behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me.”
Psalm 139:5
There was a time when hiding kept you safe. When silence protected your soul. When playing small was the only way you knew how to survive.
I remember such a time in my own life — a season marked by fear and fragmentation, when speaking up felt dangerous and visibility felt like exposure. I had learned to stay small, not out of weakness but out of necessity. That was how I coped, how I stayed unseen in a world that felt unkind. I confused invisibility with safety, but in truth, I was withering on the inside.
And then — gentle as breath and strong as thunder — God whispered to my heart, “Beloved, come out. It is safe now. I am with you.”
It didn’t happen all at once. But slowly, through His Word, His people, and His Spirit, I began to stretch. I began to speak. I began to paint again, to share again, to believe that my voice had value and my story had purpose.
“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” — Psalm 139:5 (NIV)
The hiding had served me once, but it was no longer home.
Perhaps you’re there now. At the threshold between what was and what could be.
Know this: there is no shame in the season that taught you how to survive. That box was once a blessing. But now it has become too small for who you’re becoming. God hems you in — not to confine you, but to carry you forward. His hand upon you is not to hold you down, but to lift you up.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” — Isaiah 60:1 (NIV)
You are not behind. You are not late. You are not forgotten. You are right on time, and God is singing over you as you rise.
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” — Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
Reflection:
In what areas of your life have you been playing small out of self-protection? 🤔Take a moment to honour those choices—what did they help you survive? 🤔
What part of you is beginning to outgrow the “cage” you once found comfort in? 🤔 Describe what that cage looks or feels like now.
Can you sense the whisper of God inviting you forward? 🤔 What might He be saying to you in this season? 🤔
How do you respond to the image of the Lion and the Eagle in the painting? 🤔 What part of God’s nature—His strength, His tenderness, His timing—are you needing right now?
What does ‘freedom to dance’ mean for you today? 🤔 Not in performance, but in presence—in joy, in truth, in being fully seen?
What one brave step can you take this week to step out of hiding? 🤔 It could be as simple as sharing a thought, expressing a creative idea, or choosing rest over retreat.
Life Application:
Affirmation:
Creative Prompt:
Draw a small box in the centre of your page. This is where you once stayed. Now let your creativity expand beyond the edges.
What would it look like to move beyond the box? 🤔
Add colours, words, or shapes that symbolise stretching, blossoming, and stepping into light. 🖍️✨
Closing Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the seasons when hiding was holy — when You sheltered me in Your mercy and wrapped me in silence. But now, I feel Your gentle nudge. I know it’s time. Time to step out, to stand tall, to speak boldly. I don’t have to be small to be safe anymore. You are my refuge and my strength. You go before me, and You stay behind me. I trust You completely. Lead me forward in love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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