But, He Wants To!

 

Chris and I standing together

Does it ever feel like life is kicking you when you're down? I think it happens all the time. Lol. As caregivers, our plates are absolutely full all the time. Even the smallest thing that goes wrong in our day can feel like the proverbial last straw that breaks the camel's back. 

We often run so close to the edge emotionally that the tiniest thing tips us right over. I can't speak for you, but I know me! It can appear that everything is fine, and then I totally lose it over something seemingly stupid like struggling to open a new bag of underpads or briefs. smh. It happens. :-) But that's because our "emotional cup" runs on full and a drop of anything makes it run over the edges. 

In Psalm 18:17-19, David mentions that his enemies attacked him at his weakest moment. Sometimes, it feels like life lands a socker punch when we are most vulnerable. And as caregivers, we can pretty much feel vulnerable all the time. But there's hope...

In verse 17, David says God delivers him from his powerful enemies. In verse 18, he throws in the thought that the Lord upheld him. And he ends these three verses in verse 19, declaring that the Lord led Him to a safe place and says that the Lord rescued him because He delighted in him. 

That's a lot in these few verses, if you think about it. We know that God didn't transport David out of his struggles; instead, He met David in them. Right in the middle of David's difficulties, God was delivering him, upholding him, rescuing him, and delighting in him. Wow, that's a lot!

We can trust that He is doing the same for us. 

While caregiving isn't our "enemy", each day can bring such a barrage against our minds and souls. There are days we run on autopilot and do all the tasks that have to be done. We pray nothing breaks the solemn silence of our souls as we just function. But we can trust in the craziness that caregiving brings to our lives, that God is standing by to deliver our souls, to uphold us in every way, and to rescue our burdened souls. And He does it all just because He delights in us. Get that - we bring Him joy and He loves being with us - crazy as our days can be, God still loves hanging out with us!

Today, I will remind myself that God is right here in the middle of this mess. He won't just glance my way and then choose it's too messy or complicated. Instead, He camps right here with me. My meditations will be on how He is present. Always. I'll think about how He literally can't leave me. But I'll take it a step further. He is with me, not just because He cannot leave me - He is with me because He wants to be. That makes all the difference in the world. I believe I can trust Him with one more day. Will you join me?



cover of Command Your MOrning part 2

Check out my latest release. Command Your Morning part 2. This 31-day devotional is the second one in my series Command Your Morning. (Yes, I already started on part 3 - and you're gonna love it!) Take a 31-day journey through Psalm 119 as you practice setting your intention to point your heart at God each day. It's available on Kindle and Print. Check it out!


Comments

Post a Comment

Our Most Popular Posts

Find a New Hobby for These Surprising Benefits

Image
   Hobbies can help us connect to our creative side, spend quality time with our loved ones , and boost confidence, and, as EverydayPower.com notes, they can also promote mental and physical wellness . Whether you’re learning something new from a class or taking the initiative to tackle a project at home, practicing a hobby can improve your quality of life enormously. Looking for something fun to do with a friend or loved one?   Here are a few suggestions when you’re ready to find a fun new hobby to try:   Choose something that boosts your health   It can be challenging to take care of your overall wellness at times, especially when you’re busy taking care of family obligations. Learning to focus on your physical and mental health needs is much easier when it’s fun, however, and that’s where a hobby comes in. Look for one that helps you get active , such as a yoga class, or consider starting a walking group or joining a local organization that allow...
Read more

But I Have Today

Image
Do you ever have days that are just heavier than others? Of course, you do - who am I talking to? Saturday was Chris' 37th birthday. For some reason, it was unusually hard as I thought of where all his friends are today. You know, married, having kids, and enjoying their careers. I cried more than once that day. I grieved over what should have been, what could have been.  I hugged him a little tighter and thought about the progress he's made recently. The other night, I am certain he "sang" to me after I got him in bed. It was the sweetest thing and I posted it in his Facebook group where I share things I don't feel I can share as "publicly." He's moving more and initiating more of his movement on his own. There are many things to rejoice about. At the same time, I am getting older. My joints hurt and I wonder how much longer I can take care of him. I fear the day that I won't be able to. This is the way the rest of my life looks, and I am okay w...
Read more

No Get Out of Jail Free Cards?

Image
  Do you ever feel like life just doesn't let up? Sometimes it seems like caregivers should get some sort of exempt card. You know? Something that lets us stay in the cave without having to deal with all the craziness that's going on in the world. Well, it was just a thought. I guess there are no "get out of jail free cards" in life. A pandemic rages on and we didn't get an exempt card, did we? Political and civil unrest didn't qualify us for one either. We have to deal with all the craziness in the world plus our caregiving responsibilities. Isn't caregiving enough? Dealing with aids who don't show, people and family who do not know how to help so they avoid us, and the traffic of health care professionals of all sorts is enough for any given day. Yet it happens over and over again. How do we stay sane?  Caregivers are resilient - we just keep going. Every night I go to bed feeling like I failed. I didn't get enough done. It's easy to focus on...
Read more