The Unseen

Today my loan was denied.
And honestly, it didn't matter even in the least.

Because God is giving me a much bigger message today about the unseen, and the importance of holding on to his promises regardless of what is presenting in front of my earthly eyes.
He chose to teach me this lesson through my cat.

Two days ago, my farrier (horse-shoer) was out to trim my horses. While he was trimming my horse I noticed both of my cats examining his equipment trailer. I didn't think anything of it.
Less than two minutes after he left, I *knew* that one of my cats had gotten locked in his trailer when he closed it. It wasn't just a random concern or worry, I really knew that she was in there.

I waited a couple hours to call him, to make sure I wasn't just being worried or ridiculous; and when she hadn't appeared back at the house, I called him and said "hey, I think my cat may have gotten trapped in your trailer. Can you check."
He checked.
"No," he said, "no cat."
I was really surprised.
I mean, I was really certain she was in there.
But what could I do but take his word for it? He was the one looking in the trailer with his two eyes; I was just speculating from a distance.

That night I still knew my cat was in the trailer, but doubt was creeping in from my earlier conversation with him. I started thinking positively, maybe she would just appear at the door to come in for the night like she usually did.
But she didn't.
I spent time praying about her that night and was assured she was safe.
And I still knew she was in the trailer.

The next morning, when she still wasn't at the door, I called my farrier again.
"Hey," I said, "I know you checked the trailer, but I really think she is in there. Can you check again? Isn't there some place she might hide?"
"No" I was told. "No cat in the trailer."

At this point I felt frustrated. I wanted to go check the trailer for myself.
I still knew she was in there.
But my farrier knows this trailer better than I do. He uses it every day. He knows if there are places cats could hide, and he's looking at it with his two eyes!
So if he says there isn't a cat in his trailer, there can't be a cat in his trailer.

That day I kept praying about my cat. I kept being told she was fine. I kept thinking she must be in the trailer.
But doubt also crept in.
I started thinking about all of the other things that could have happened to her. I imagined her being run over by the trailer's tire instead of being trapped in it, and then running off to hide some where to die.
I thought about all of the vehicles that had been down my road and pulled in and out of my drive that could have also hit her.
I imagined her trapped somewhere on my property with me unable to find her.
I started thinking I would probably never see her again, and imagining my life without her.
And I still knew she was in the trailer.

Today I got a call from my farrier.
He said, rather sheepishly, "I found your cat."

Yes, as I knew, she was in his trailer!

Besides the amazing blessing and relief of finding my cat, I am feeling such a powerful message sent to me about the unseen.
I knew all along my cat was in the trailer, but other people couldn't see her, even when looking into the trailer with their own two eyes.
Our eyes are not the detectors of the truth.
So many times we must see God's truth and God's promises from the inside long before they are revealed to us where we can see them and touch them on the outside.
I am now holding my cat in my arms and on my lap. She is real, and returned, exactly as she was promised to me.
But one day ago I was doubting because my knowledge of the unseen could not be confirmed by a set of actual eyes.
I am told today that what has been promised to me will come to pass. What I know in my heart is true, regardless of what is seen.
And a loan rejection letter doesn't matter even in the least.