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Today, I feel inadequate.
Not at all qualified to encourage parents to fight the isolation that threatens to engulf them.
Not at all worthy to remind them they are not alone.
Not at all an example of how to ask for help from others.
Because when events in my life took a difficult turn recently, I ignored my own advice.
I rationalized my decision to isolate in numerous ways.
It’s no big deal.
It’s not that bad.
My family has enough going on.
My friends are dealing with much harder things.
I don’t want to be a bother.
But the Holy Spirit gently opened my eyes to this self-deception.
It was a big deal.
It wasn’t so bad to begin with, but it rapidly got worse.
My family had a lot going on, but they needed to know.
My friends, even those dealing with hard things, still want to help.
Asking people for guidance and prayer is not a bother.
Slowly, hesitantly, I attacked the wall of isolation.
I sent a text to my little brother,
Called my big sister,
Emailed friends,
and asked them to pray.
And do you know what they said?
I love you, big sister.
I’m here for you, little sister.
Dear friend, you always ask how to pray for me,
Now I’m honored to pray for you.
Their words sent walls of isolation crashing down.
I understood in a new way the truth I have so often used to reassure others.
You are not alone.
God is with you.
He sends His people to encourage you.
Because you reached out to them, you are surrounded by their prayers.
You are surrounded by their love and encouragement and practical help.
Today, I feel inadequate. Inadequate, but not alone.
Because I know God is at work.
He’s using these hard days to strengthen my faith.
He’s using His Word and words of family and friends to show me I can trust him to provide everything needed to persevere.
He’s using Oswald Chambers to teach me to view the situation as part of the grand adventure of walking with Christ.
And when the waiting seems too much to bear, He sends a blog post by Ann Voskamp to turn my eyes to the glory yet to come.
Such grace.
Such glorious grace God showers on all His children who call upon Him.
We deserve no such grace.
We deserve no blessing of community.
We deserve no encouragement of the saints.
We deserve no promise of glory to come.
We are all inadequate. But we are never alone.
God is at work in us,
through us,
and through those who care about us.
All we have to do is ask.
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all,
how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32
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[…] The rest of this post is online at Not Alone’s Special Needs Parenting website. […]