From my heart, to yours.
2020 has been a doozy, hasn't it?! Actually, if we're being honest, I'm not sure that "doozy" quite covers it. From mask mandates to school closures, to job loss, to tremendous grief...there just aren't adequate words to describe what it as done to us as a community, let alone a nation. And while I'm sure everyone has their own opinion about the political side of things, I'm not here to talk about that today. Today, I'd like to speak directly to your heart.

Maybe you've been thrown into this homeschooling gig, and this is NOT the plan you had for your or your children's lives. Maybe your child gets much-needed special help at school in the form of therapies or individualized lesson plans. Or, it could be that your children just THRIVE in school. They're happy there, they love their friends, their teachers are fantastic and now, well...now you've seen a little bit of light go out of their eyes. Or maybe you have a career that you adore, and working from home while homeschooling is just NOT working out for you OR for them. It could be that Zoom, Canvas and Google Classroom are just not conducive to your child's learning style. They can't sit still, they can't figure out the mute button, they can't focus, they can't, they can't, can't. It's just too much!
"Though our circumstances might be different, I understand that there is no disappointment like the disappointment that comes from watching your child struggle."
Friend, can I call you friend? Well, I'm going to because that's just how I am. So, friend...I understand. I really, really do. Though our circumstances might be different, I understand that there is no disappointment like the disappointment that comes from watching your child struggle. We want the very best for them. We research, and ask google, and poll friends, and stay up late, and research some more, hoping to find the best fit, the best "thing" for their individual personality. I've been there, and I've also watched all of my hard work, and my most well thought out plans, go up in smoke. And it hurts in a way that is hard to explain to people who don't have children. So, I understand. Really, I do.
What if your child is doing just fine with this whole "new school" thing and it's you that is struggling? Maybe you've had a loved one die this year, whether from Covid or not, and the grief is weighing heavy on your mind. Maybe you weren't able to say goodbye, you weren't able to hold a funeral, or you didn't get the closure you needed to find peace. Maybe it's so gut-wrenching that you haven't told a soul how badly you're hurting. Not your spouse. Not your best friend. Maybe you haven't even really accepted it yourself, deep down, into the places inside that are so tender that you're afraid that if you let the truth seep in, they might never, ever heal.
Or, what if it isn't illness or your children that has you feeling broken? Maybe you had to make the heart-breaking decision to quit that job you loved, or maybe you got laid off, or your spouse got laid off. Maybe you're worried about money, your mortgage or rent, putting food on the table. Maybe you're scared for a loved one, or missing your children/grandchildren, or any number of other new things that have come up in the last year. And they're heavy. And they're real. And they hurt. Deeply.
If that's you, can I just say, I see you. If, as you read this, your eyes are brimming with tears, can I just say that I am so sorry. I am not naive enough to think that my words will ever mend your broken heart, but I can stand beside you. I can stand in the gap for you. I can be kind and offer a gentle word when you feel like one more harsh one might send you over the edge. I can listen. I can pray. I can be a friend.
Though MY words will never be adequate, the words of the Lord can be a balm for your soul. I encourage you to think on these next few things the next time you're feeling overwhelmed, broken-hearted or just plain let down.
You do NOT have to carry your grief, frustration, guilt, shame or disappointment alone, friend. That was never the intention. If it was, what was the point of the Cross?
He promises that whatever good thing He has started in you, He will see it through to completion (Phil 1:6). What does that mean for your life, you ask? Well, if He lit a fire and sparked a passion in you, you can rest knowing that He will work that for passion for good. He ASKS to carry your heaviest burden, to lighten your load, and to let Him give you rest for your weary soul (Matt 11:28). You do NOT have to carry your grief, frustration, guilt, shame, or disappointment alone, friend. That was never the intention. If it was, what was the point of the Cross? His love is a shield, a stronghold and a place to find refuge (Psalm 144:2). Read that one again. HIS love...not a person's. He is the only way you can find true, lasting, limitless peace. In a time where hoping seems fruitless, my prayer for you tonight is this: "May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in You." ~ Psalm 33:22.
I am praying for you as you face the circumstances of tomorrow...you CAN do hard things, you CAN overcome devastation, and you CAN live life abundantly. As you read those words, I hope you can allow them to penetrate down deep into your heart...to those places that are so tender you're afraid they might never heal. They will, my precious friend. They will.
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