Hope for When You’re in a Hard Place

Many of the hardest things in life prove to be the most valuable.

Many of the hardest things in life prove to be the most valuable. Trust God's plan for you. Share on X

It’s Hard!

I once thought parenting would be easy. It’s not.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how truly inadequate I feel for this job, even after nearly 23 years. I thought it’d get easier. And in some ways it has. Yet in other ways, not so much. 

While there may not be as constant a barrage of issues to address as when the kids were young, when faced with them now, they’re often much bigger and more significant.

I have far less knowledge and say about my young adult children’s activities and choices.

The gap between typically developing peers and Rachel grows wider.

The difficulties of raising a child with special needs become compounded by the need to provide for her future, eventually without you.

Seeing my children separate and make their own way in life, while a wonderful and sought-after outcome of parenting, brings an ache to my heart. 

The Value of Hard

Yet, despite the continued weight of parenting, I’m blessed to be a mama. Incredibly blessed. 

I’ve grown exponentially since that day I held my firstborn. I’ve grown in ways I never expected…. in ways impossible had I not been stretched by the uncomfortable and hard moments. 

But that’s how it is with most things. The hardest things often deliver the greatest blessings.

The hardest things often deliver the greatest blessings. #hopeinthemess Share on X

Bringing a baby into the world. Going through the long and arduous journey to adoption. 

Completing a college degree. Getting that promotion at work. 

Cultivating a thriving marriage. Trusting God when the going gets near impossible. 

Blessing of Being Faithful Where You Are

Being a mother is among the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Being a mother to a child with disabilities is and will continue to add to the burden I feel. 

Yet the blessing of motherhood has far outweighed the load. Because the blessing of being faithful where God has placed you always outweighs the burden of walking it out.

The blessing of being faithful where God has placed you always outweighs the burden of walking it out. Share on X 

This is true whether or not you are a parent.  We all have hard journeys. Ones also filled with obstacles and unexpected turns. 

Yet wherever you find yourself:

• single or married
• mother or childless
• employed or in-between jobs
• healthy or disabled
• young or elderly

you’ll also find blessings. Blessings that will actually strengthen you to carry the load you’ve been given. 

On this Mother’s Day weekend, when many grieve estranged children, sick children, or no children, let me offer a little encouragement: 

Wherever you find yourself, in whatever situation you face, that is where the grass is greenest for you, for now. Don’t long for the other side. Chances are when you get there, you’ll discover it’s all a mirage.

Best Place for You

The lushest grass, the best place for you to be now is the place you find yourself in right now. It’s often the hardest one to walk through. And it may look anything but fertile and rich.

But blessings will flow out of your faithfulness. As you trust God’s plan for your life, you’ll begin to see the gems poking through the mess.

The best place for you to be is where you are now. Trust God's plan for your life and see the gems poking thru the mess. Share on X

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

Reflections: Where is the hard place you’re asked to be? Have you gotten a glimpse of the blessings of faithfully walking through it?