When I think of hardship, I think of special-needs moms. Parenting is difficult, but parenting with special circumstances… that’s excruciating at times. These words are for you. Soak them in and walk through this year – through the challenges – bravely.
As I’m writing this, I’m lying on my floor because I’m walking in hard places. Yesterday I was lying prone praying for the same reason. After we press through this, we’ll look back and see the growth. Sometimes we look back and see that we’ve just survived, and that’s okay because guess what? We’ve made it through the hard place.
Similar Pain, Different Struggles
My challenges and yours are different. What’s hard for me is a piece of cake for you. And I’m alright with that. What matters is that we’re both pressing through our hard places. Many times we press through the hard alone and that increases the pain exponentially. I talked to a new homeschool mom yesterday as she was struggling. As she reached out, yet another mom felt free to discuss her struggles.
Responding to others in hard places, and acknowledging their pain, without condemning is key. We wonder why people’s circumstances are so challenging for them. We can place condemnation on them, keeping them alone and full of shame. We must understand that our hard place is not going to look like others’.
Share Your Burdens
Look around you and find other moms needing encouragement. Sharing our burdens make the loads easier to bear. Community. Doing life together. Hmmm… I’ve heard this before… Those phrases are the new catch phrases in church… for good reason. We are not designed to walk life alone, but many times condemnation or shame keeps us there.
Where do you go when life gets hard? I’ve just talked about walking through the hard with others, but there’s someplace you should go first. To the feet of Jesus. The one who is free from condemnation and abounding in love. The one who knows hard. He’s walked it. He is the one who will carry you through.
“When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” Psalm 94:18-19 ESV
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
