I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed a tear or two (or twenty) each time I watch Finding Nemo. Nemo and Marlin, his father, are clownfish who just can’t seem to get along. At the film’s climax, they reunite after a struggle that physically tears them apart. Nemo confesses, “Daddy, I don’t hate you.” Marlin replies, “I’m so sorry, Nemo.” And with that, their miscommunications are resolved as their fins embrace and they step into a newfound level of closeness.

As an avid movie-watcher, I value these cinematic moments: when the film’s protagonists finally get the chance to declare their true feelings and are wholly understood.

If only all of my problems could be solved like this, neatly settled within a 90-minute timeframe. Instead, when caught in a misunderstanding, I often end up feeling like my statements are muffled underwater — like no matter what I say, my intentions will never be made clear.

Have you ever felt this sting of being misunderstood by someone you love?

Maybe your spouse struggles to understand how you process grief and difficult life transitions. Maybe your children can’t accept that the boundaries you set are meant to help them thrive — not to deprive them of all chances of a social life. Perhaps a friend you thought was close doesn’t seem to acknowledge the way he or she hurt you.

“You just don’t get it,” you may find yourself muttering. Or maybe you think it’s not even worth trying anymore.

When you feel like no one hears you, you can rest in the knowledge that your heavenly Father hears you. He understands. He cares.

To reflect on how God knows the real you, you can read through these verses with me: 

Matthew 6:8b (GNTD)

“Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him.”

Psalm 56:8 (GNTD)

You know how troubled I am; you have kept a record of my tears. Aren't they listed in your book?

1 Peter 5:7 (GNTD)

Leave all your worries with him [the Father], because he cares for you.

Psalm 139: 1-3, 6 (GNTD)

Lord, you have examined me and you know me. You know everything I do; from far away you understand all my thoughts. You see me, whether I am working or resting; you know all my actions.…Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding.