My son Charles was a runner.
Raising a runner is definitely challenging.
Not the track and field, cross country type of runner (though that may very well be in his future) but the two-year-old, super-fast, any time his feet hit the ground kind of runner.
When he was three, he was still running.
When he was four, he was still running.
And this momma was tired.
I was a widow with twins, and although the stories are humorous now, they weren’t funny at the time.
Grocery stores…parking lots…church…airports…down the street at the in-home daycare, and the list goes on.
The other twin, my daughter, just wanted momma.
The first four years of their lives, it was pretty much Charles running away, me chasing him, and London chasing me while I was praying and screaming for someone to help me catch him.
I’m glad those days are finally over, and what a whirlwind they often were.
Life in general can be a whirlwind. But I am so thankful that through all the many things in life that have come my way, my relationship with the Lord has never looked like Charles and mine. I have never had to chase Him down or run after Him. He has always walked alongside me every step of the way. If I drew near to Him, He drew near to me (James 4:8) just as He promised He would.
Early into my widowhood journey, Romans 12:12 quickly became my roadmap to survival: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayers.”
This verse is in the middle of several instructions for Christian living. Verse 12, though it is short, seemed to be a somewhat doable list to cover all the major pitfalls and struggles of what had become my new normal.
“Rejoice,” or as other translations read, “be joyful in hope.” When we are in the pit, we need constant reminders of the hope we have in Christ. In the depths of despair, it is sometimes hard to see how joy and pain can walk side by side at the same time. But the reality is that the hope we have in Christ is the bridge. Our sorrow here on earth is only for a moment. Our hope is not that tomorrow will be better or our pain will be less but that He is our hope—a living hope (Romans 15:13, Psalm 71:5, 1 Peter 1:3).
Be patient in affliction and tribulations. Pain and suffering are not comfortable. They are not the place we want to be. But God is always at work. Especially in grief, if we aren’t patient or persevering, if we try to rush the process and avoid the hard work of grief, then we often can’t heal wholly. It is through the trials and tribulations and affliction that we often realize just how inadequate we are and how faithful God is. For when we are weak, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). During times of trial, our faith is tested and grown (James 1:2-4).
Be constant in prayer, always communicating and giving everything over to the Lord. We especially need to surrender the things that are hard and tough, like our difficult emotions and questions. It was through prayer that I have been able to see significant heart changes. It was when I finally gave everything over to the Lord in prayer, whether it was forgiveness that I never felt that I could give, or it was a desire to have purpose when I didn’t see any. When I finally gave it over to the Lord in prayer, God did the work. I didn’t have to figure out how to forgive, and I didn’t have to figure out what my purpose was because over time, God answered those prayers. Once I came to Him and was real and honest, God showed me how to offer forgiveness when I didn’t feel like I could. God is the one who showed me what my purpose was. If we pray constantly, continually communicating with the Lord, He will take care of the rest.
No matter what trials you are facing today, remember Romans 12:12 that God has given us to navigate the deep waters. It keeps our worried and anxious thoughts focused on Him and not on what is going on around us. It provides a road map to rejoice in hope, be patient, but also praying. Respond with joy, be patient but always communicate with the One who knows us best. This world is not our home, but I am so thankful that while we are here living out God’s plan and purpose for our lives, He will never leave us.
