Shift Your PerspectiveSample

Have you ever walked through a really difficult season and needed some encouragement? I know the answer to that is yes, especially in the times we're living in right now. There is a lot of brokenness out there. I recently walked through one of the most difficult seasons, probably in my entire life. It just seemed like one thing was happening after another, after another, after another: deaths, sickness, car accidents, broken relationships. They were piling on top of each other.

My husband was traveling, and I was starting a tough homeschool week with my four youngest children. I didn't know how I was going to get everything done. With tears rolling down my cheeks, I exclaimed, "I don't know how much more of this I can take. You say your yoke is easy, but this is hard." Later that same day I was at my older son's basketball game, and he literally fell and broke his hip. My mind was racing with thoughts like, "How do I get my four younger kids home? I have to take him to the hospital and there is a virus going around. This is going to take up my entire night. I can't believe I have another situation to deal with now." You can imagine all the things I was repeating in my head about how terrible this was.

That night I literally cried myself to sleep. I told God, "I can't. I can't take one more thing. Show me something. Give me something to keep me going. You say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, but I'm not feeling that strength right now."

The next morning I had to get up early. It was freezing cold outside. While loading all my kids in the car, I looked down and noticed my gas tank was full. The night before, my oldest daughter had picked up my four youngest so I could go to the emergency room. Not only was that a huge help, but she also filled my car with gas, just to be kind. I'm not a person who typically cries, but I started crying again for the second time in 24 hours because I knew the Lord wanted me to see that. I knew He was in those little details that I sometimes forget. I knew He loved me, and I knew He put people in my path to love me too. My daughter did a teeny-tiny act, but it changed everything for me.

I want to encourage you today. If you're going through a tough time, the Lord is with you. Open your eyes and look around at the little ways He's blessing you. Even more importantly though, if the Lord has put on your heart to do something kind for someone else today, no matter how small it is, do it. Buy someone a cup of coffee, tell them their hair looks nice, text the person you've been thinking about, say a prayer for someone that's been on your heart. If the Lord is encouraging you, no matter how insignificant it might seem, you literally might be changing everything for someone who is hurting.

Now go let your light shine.