Letting God Meet You In Your Pain

We are going into Month 3 of quarantined life in Georgia and it has affected everyone in my family in a different way. My youngest, Abby, missed out on the final weeks of her senior year of college. All of the celebrations and special events were wiped off the schedule with almost no warning. She is experiencing a real sense of loss and grief. My middle daughter, Emily, is pregnant and her family has lost jobs and income due to the virus. They are understandably stressed as they adjust their expectations for the coming season. My oldest, Kelsey, came to Georgia to shelter-in-place with us, and what she thought would be a two week mini-vacation has turned into 9 weeks away from her home and husband.

I know each of your family situations are different, but each of you is facing uncertainty, loss, and stress in some way. So I wanted to encourage you with this thought today: these situations aren’t anything I could “fix” for my adult kids. It has been hard to watch them struggle through disappointment, depression, and fear. But I have had a front row seat to watch how God has showed up for each of my children in exactly the way they needed. In ways only He can.

God met Abby through a devotional reading and spoke to her about the danger of letting circumstances determine her attitude. Abby is learning to be content where she is in spite of less than ideal circumstances.

God provided new jobs for Emily’s husband: new clients, and great prospects for the future. And Emily started a little cookie business because of their changed situation!

God answered prayers we have been praying over Kelsey’s ankle for months. A surgeon she has been trying to see since Christmas called and said he would see her, and she had a successful surgery this week.

Mommas, God is faithful! This mom just had to trust Him!

As moms we want to protect our kids from pain, but pain draws our kids near to God and gives Him a chance to provide for them. This week, pray that God would meet you and your kids in the middle of your disappointment and loss and show you how faithful He is.

For more on my girls’ thoughts about quarantine and what God is teaching them during this time, listen to Wire Talk episode 212.