The Struggle is Real

I absolutely hate to wait for things, especially things that are supposed to be fun. You know that time frame right before you are getting ready to leave for a fun date with friends? You can’t leave too soon or you’ll be too early but it’s just so hard to wait the last 10 minutes before it’s really time to go. Children really understand this struggle. Try telling a 5 year old they’re going to get ice cream but they have to wait until you finish the job you are doing. It’s like setting the timer on a bomb waiting for it to explode. I guarantee that little kid is doing their best to be patient but the struggle is almost too much for them.

I am noticing this in more subtle ways as an adult, though most of us are more mature than a five year old it doesn’t mean it’s not hard to wait. This last week I took a break from social media. I do this every so often when I start to notice I am watching videos of cute little cows walking around a barn more than I am interacting with my kids or my husband. It’s not that I mean to, it’s just easier sometimes to zone out after a long day at work. The downside is my family has now gotten used to me zoning out on my phone, and have created a pattern themselves of doing their own “zoning”. Oh the struggle, but if it means that I break the cycle and get interaction again, it’s worth it. In the process of breaking the zoning cycle one thing became clear to me, the things that once held importance in my eyes and the eyes of my family fell to the wayside. This struggle was worth changing but it would take time and of course waiting for habits to change.

The saying “if it’s important enough, you’ll find a way” speaks volumes in that it ultimately means the road won’t be easy but it will be worth it. As adults we wait for bills to be paid, kids to listen, and bosses to understand the struggles we may be having. We also wait for enough money to be saved for the trip we are taking, we wait for the “aha moment” we know our love ones will have, and we wait for the moment in which we can finally relax. It’s not as simple as knowing ice cream is coming, but when these things are important enough we will make them something we strive for just like the 5 year old. Christ waits for us as well. In the struggles we face on a daily basis He offers us relief. Every day we wake up and if you are anything like me, my brain goes into “what are we gonna do today?” mode. If there was something that bothered me from the day before it is in the forefront of my mind as I wake up from my slumber. That’s because it’s important to me, but Christ says to give all our burdens to him and he will give us rest. He is waiting for us to realize that we can do this. Our lives don’t magically become easier but the load on our shoulders does become lighter when we allow Him to help. He doesn’t struggle, nor does He loose patience in us. We are the ones that keep the struggle real, and the patience short.

What are you struggling with today? Does the world seem bigger than the capacity of your thoughts to bear it? Is there a pile of worry you carry around like a noose on your neck? The struggle to wait for relief may be a burden you are not prepared to take on. What if little by little you chip away at the waiting period by learning to release your grasp and let the strength that comes from relying on Christ bring you joy. Until next time:

Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.

Kurt Vonnegut