Wahtever You're Facing

Whatever You’re Facing
pamela spurling

Whatever’s going on with you is big. You know it’s big… it consumes your thinking, your time and your energy. It might not seem big to someone else and were you to compare it to the plight of another, you might discount it—though, in reality, it still is, or it’s still going to be, a big thing for you. You may have no washer and the laundry mountain is overwhelming to you. You may have many debts and little income… you may have a bed-wetter or a child who won’t obey. Troubles. Trials. But compared to someone else’s trials, you might feel embarrassed that you consider your struggles to be trials. You might think that no one else could possibly understand the anguish you feel as you cannot “get it all done” each week, or the ache of your muscles at the end of the day or the headaches you experience as you have no one to help you as you care for your home and children, mop your floor, switch the laundry loads and fold the clothes and on and on.

We have a friend who is separated from her husband, another’s has left her. We have a friend who is praying for his wife to return and another’s is praying his won’t. We have a friend who has family trouble; none seem to seek to work out the differences and so there is anguish. Another is getting off prescription drugs. Still another is attempting to mediate a reconciliation between her daughter and friends. Another prays earnestly for the LORD’s blessing of a child… year after year, no conception. Another is having trouble with her husband with a devastating addiction. Another faces financial difficulties and cannot make ends meet. Each feels like her problem is insurmountable and has no good solution or ending. Each feels like the weight of the world is on her shoulders and because of the situations at hand, there’s really nothing else that takes precedence over the trials. And they often feel like no one else has a more burdensome plight. And then they hear of a tragedy or problem another sister faces and they see they’re not alone. No one’s alone. Not really. Every burden is a trial. There is no one who could honestly say their burden is greater than the burden another carries. Really, no one can. But it feels like it. It feels like it to those who are carrying burdens too heavy to be borne. They feel as though they stand alone – endure alone. But they’re not alone. That’s one of the tremendous reasons and unfathomable blessings of the cross of Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew 11.28-30

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

We have a friend who is slowly deteriorating– slowly dying. He knows Jesus… knows the rest found in trusting in Jesus, but is human and faces the struggles and the dilemma of helplessness and total dependency. And you know, when others hear of his plight and of his family, they immediately dismiss their own ordeal or trials and think them trivial and are embarrassed to even mention any struggle because of the comparative insignificance. But you know, they’re not insignificant and they’re not unimportant. They are important and so is every burden you bear and every trial you face. I know, compared to a life and death scenario, your laundry problems or your home schooling or child discipline struggles may seem to pale in comparison, and in the scheme of things, the struggles will likely pass and in a few years will be forgotten. But it’s all still big---it’s all still a trial, a drudgery or a struggle. Even the dying person had “insignificant” struggles from time to time and readily admits to it.

Quite a number of years ago, I was commenting about a trouble I was trying to cope with and I happened to notice I was in the company of a mom whose daughter was enduring a fatal condition and faced daily struggles to simply breathe. She responded with empathy when I said I had nothing to complain or fret over considering the life and death matters she and her daughter face and daily contended with. And she told me whatever any woman is facing at the time is big – to her at the time… and that whatever I was facing was big… for me. And she assured me that it was all okay, that no one was keeping score. I’ve never forgotten that bit of advice. So whatever you’re facing – regardless what others do or do not have to deal with – it’s big, it matters. It matters to you.

Consider that you might hold in your arms the precious newborn, the child for whom you’ve prayed and laboured. And consider at the very same time, somewhere nearby, a woman cradles the head of her dying husband. Both women face entirely different situations, both are big – one is no more or less significant than the other, and at the same time, both are emotionally utterly and completely devoted to the circumstance they face.

So, today, dear sister, wherever you go and whatever you do, whatever you face is important and significant and cannot be compared to the plight or the delight of another. Because whatever is going on with you is big. And even if you feel alone, you’re not alone… someone understands.

And you know… He loves you so much He stretched out His arms on the cross…

He loves you so much, He’s ready and waiting to talk to you about those things that concern you. Whatever you face… yes, it is big… but remember: nothing’s too hard for the LORD.

Thank you for allowing me to visit you each week. God bless you, your family and your home.

With sincere love,