When the Snow Melts: What God Sees Beneath the Surface

When Everything Looks Perfect for a Moment

We woke up to about six or seven inches of snow this morning, the good kind. The kind that makes everything look clean and untouched. Even the spots in the yard that usually make me cringe were suddenly beautiful.

The broken patches.
The uneven places.
The things I normally try not to notice.

Snow has a way of doing that. It covers the mess and gives us the illusion that everything is just fine.

Lucy stood at the door, staring at it like she was trying to decide if she was going to stay in or venture out. Me? I just stood there thinking how peaceful it all looked.

But I also knew something else.

The sun would come out.
The snow would melt.
And everything hiding underneath would reappear.

What We Hide Eventually Shows Up

Isn’t that a little too much like us?

We all have ways of covering things up. We hide our doubts behind smiles. We cover our fears with busyness. We smooth over our mistakes so others don’t see the cracks.

Most of the time, it works. At least for a while.

But life has a way of turning up the heat. Pressure, loss, disappointment, exhaustion. And suddenly, the covering melts. The things we hoped no one would notice are right there in plain sight.

The Bible reminds us of this truth:

Luke 12:2 (NIV)
² For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

God Isn’t Surprised by What’s Underneath

Here’s the comforting part. God already knows what’s under the snow.

He isn’t shocked by our struggles. He isn’t disappointed when our masks slip. He doesn’t recoil when the mess shows up.

Scripture tells us:

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

God sees what’s underneath long before the snow ever falls. He knows our fears, our regrets, the parts of our story we’d rather keep tucked away. And yet, He still calls us His. Still loves us. Still invites us closer.

That’s the part we sometimes miss. When the covering melts, and the imperfections show back up, we assume God is disappointed or frustrated with us. But more often than not, that’s the very moment He leans in.

I’ve learned this the hard way. The seasons when everything looks “fine” on the outside aren’t usually the seasons when I grow the most. Growth tends to happen when the mess is visible, when the cracks are obvious, and when I finally stop pretending I have it all together.

My mom used to say that you can only clean what you’re willing to see. She was usually talking about the house, but it applies just as well to the heart. God doesn’t expose things to shame us. He reveals them so He can heal them.

We see exposure as failure. God sees it as an invitation.

When the Mask Slips, Grace Steps In

When life turns up the heat, and the snow begins to melt, we have a choice. We can rush to cover things back up, or we can let God meet us right where we are.

Scripture reminds us that grace shows up strongest in our weakest moments. We don’t have to perform for God. We don’t have to impress Him. We don’t have to pretend we’re more put together than we are.

Some of the most faithful prayers sound like this, “Lord, I don’t have it in me today.”

And that’s enough.

God doesn’t ask us to be flawless. He asks us to be honest.

What Remains After the Snow Melts

When the snow is gone, and the ground is visible again, it isn’t always pretty. But it’s real. And real is where God does His best work.

Faith isn’t about keeping everything hidden under a perfect white blanket. It’s about trusting God with what shows up when the blanket is gone.

The places you’re trying to hide are often the very places God wants to restore. The imperfections you’re embarrassed by are the ones He already knows by name. And the moments you feel most exposed are often the moments you’re being held the closest.

Nothing about you is wasted. Nothing is too broken. Nothing is beyond His reach.

To GOD Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day

Let’s End With a Prayer

Lord, thank You for loving us not for how we appear, but for who we truly are. Thank You for seeing beneath the surface and still calling us worthy of Your grace.

When the masks slip, help us not to run or hide. Give us the courage to be honest with You, and the humility to let You work in the places we’ve kept covered for too long.

Remind us that exposure is not rejection, and that Your love does not disappear when our imperfections are revealed. Help us trust You with all of it, the beautiful parts and the broken ones.

We place ourselves fully in Your hands, knowing that what You reveal, You also redeem.

Amen.