Perspective

“Casting all your cares before Him because He cares for you”  I Peter 5:7

Currently, I’m going through a situation that is stealing my joy. If I were to share the details with you, you would agree with me and probably even have compassion for me. I know it’s a bump in the road; I know it’s temporary (the Lord has told me…although I don’t know what “short-lived” means in His terms); In the scheme of life, I know it’s “small potatoes”.

Or at least I keep telling myself that…trying to convince myself “it’s not so bad” or “keep it in perspective”.

There is no coincidence that in the last month, I’ve had numerous friends ask me to pray for them, their adult kids or grandkids.  In some cases, it’s not even CLOSE friends asking me to pray.  Recently, many people have pulled me aside or asked me to lunch and told me extremely personal things going on in their family life.  I have listened; I have been broken hearted.  I have been stunned at circumstances – and how many are dealing with major hurts.

I won’t divulge any confidence even giving a hint about situations.  I will just say some have grown children who are making the worst choices; others have adult children who are isolating from parents and acting immature; still others have grandchildren who are being negatively affected by choices of parents who are selfish and/or using grandkids as pawns.  Some of these scenarios are so complicated and devastating that I don’t even know what to say to encourage.  Some have experienced pain and hurt for years.  Even more than not knowing how to encourage, in some cases, it’s hard to even know what to pray.

But I learned years ago not to say, “I’ll be praying”.  Why?  Because I would have good intentions but forget – maybe even the next day.

My new practice in the last 10+ years: if I say those words and tell someone I’m praying, I write it in my prayer journal, and I pray fervently for that person or the situation they described.  I take the “job” of praying as a serious “assignment”.  Or I pray with the person right then so it’s etched in my brain and heart.

At this time, I’m overwhelmed as there are so many around me going through extremely difficult situations.  Some are life threatening; some are the most heartbreaking issues I’ve ever known of in a family; most are truly helpless and can’t do anything apart from the Lord.  Truly, it will take a miracle and His intervention.

My heart aches for each one; I’m broken and try to bring each situation and person before the Lord.

I’ve told my husband; I’ve told the Lord that my situation is “small potatoes” in comparison.

I’ve tried to remind myself that the Lord told me “my trial” wouldn’t last long.  I know in my spirit that it’s a bump in the road.  But still, this week, it hit.

I had a day…maybe more than one, when putting one foot in front of the other was difficult.  Excruciating to get up, face life, eat, prepare food, wash dishes, go to work, etc.  Have you been there, dear one?

Have you had days like that?  Weeks? Where the hurt just seemed to snowball and grow bigger. I’ve tried to put it in perspective.  I’ve tried to enumerate all my blessings…and there are so many!!  I KNOW the Lord has been good to me.

As I’ve prayed for the litany experiencing REAL difficulties and hardships and trials, I’ve thanked the Lord that my “trial” is a bump. 

But still.

Basically, when all is said and done, the degree of trial or heartache or whatever is causing our pain doesn’t matter, does it? 

Even the other day, this point was brought home to me as I was substitute teaching (God always has a way of teaching me through kids!). 

I was in a second-grade class. I had never been in this class before and knew very few of the children. I was only there the latter half of the day.  I hadn’t even met the class or introduced myself yet.  I went to pick the class up from a specials’ class (art, music, physical education, etc).  Two boys bumped into each other and hit heads.  This collision apparently occurred as I was picking the class up from art so I didn’t witness it.  One boy was fine and went on his merry way.  The other boy cried and cried – and definitely needed me to acknowledge him, acknowledge his hurt and love/hug him.  At that point, I had just arrived and didn’t even know his name.  He didn’t care that I was a stranger; he needed my compassion and to know someone cared about his pain and suffering. Some of the kids were rolling their eyes related to him and seemed indifferent to his suffering. I learned later in the day, he could over dramatize situations and tended to cry at the least little thing.

I didn’t want to minimize his hurt. Inside, I was needing to get things moving and introduce myself to the kids, learn their names and have them introduce themselves to me and get started on the assignments left for us to accomplish.  At that moment, I was struggling – I wanted to show compassion to this little fellow, but at the same time I was kind of dismissing him in my head/heart, wanting him to “get over” such a minor infraction so we could get on with the agenda of the day.

Later in the day, a little girl, who seemed tough as nails somehow came up from the carpet where she was working and accidentally hit her head on the side of a sharp board.  She cried, and I knew it hurt terribly.  I immediately sent her up to the office for ice and to be checked out by the nurse.

In those moments, it didn’t really matter to the child that was hurting that one was a minor injury and one was major.

What’s the point of this?  I’m not sure, except for this truth.

No matter how small the hurt, it still hurts.

Don’t discount it.  Acknowledge it.  Even if it’s not the worst thing ever, just confessing the hurt or trial to a friend or loved one can make a difference.  And definitely talking to the Lord about it is warranted.  Jesus reminded us several times in scripture to bring our “cares” to Him.

All I know is Jesus doesn’t distinguish if my hurt is monumental or miniscule.  He comes alongside and meets me where I am.  He wraps His loving arms around me and lets me know He is there.  I am not forgotten.

As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, even when life is overwhelming…even when life — or those that supposedly love me disappoint…I am not alone.  My Savior, that gave His very life for me, comforts me and cares more than I can imagine.  He loves me through it.  He WANTS me to turn to Him in my hour of need.  He never grows weary of hearing me cry or belly ache or complain.  What a blessing!  I have a companion that loves me unconditionally even when my spouse doesn’t understand or my best friend is tired of hearing me vent.  He is always faithful. 

HE never dismisses me, even if my hurt or trial is “small potatoes”.  It ALWAYS matters to Him…and He welcomes me with open arms.

Thank Him for that fact today — that as a child of the King, you are never alone.  He is there – and stands ready to hold you, comfort you and hear every hurt on your heart. 

He is faithful!  He is merciful and compassionate! He is loyal and will not abandon you.

He WANTS you to “cast every care on Him” and not try to carry it yourself.

Are you doing that?  If not, pause and talk to Him about everything on your heart.  It will make a difference.  Lay your trial and hurt at the foot of the cross.  Nothing is too big or too little for the Lord Jesus.  He can handle it.

I started this article with a verse in I Peter, but I love how it’s translated in the Amplified version of the Bible.  I think it underscores His infinite care and love.

“Casting all your cares (all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all) on Him, for He cares for you (with deepest affection and watches over you very carefully).”