It has always interested me to hear people's stories. I enjoy knowing where people have come from, struggles they have overcome, and what has brought them to the here and now. While I wrote Friday on our need to be seen, I believe part of being seen is also being heard. We want to be asked how we are doing, and not in passing as someone is quickly shuffling away. We want to know that every now and then someone will stop and take the time to hear us speak.
As I was listening to a friend share some of her recent struggles, she told me a story that has continued playing in my thoughts. A few years ago, a woman went missing. She was a wife, a mother, involved in her children's lives, their church, and many other things. She had a nice home, she and her family were well cared for, and she was happy to serve. Yet on this day, she dropped her children off at school and was not seen again for three days. What happend to this woman who seemed to have it all?
After dropping off her children, she went for a walk. During her walk, she found an old church and stepped inside. There, within the quiet walls of the sanctuary, she laid down and went to sleep. And she slept, for two days. When she awoke on the third day, she sat in the quiet and simply absorbed the quietness, the whisperings of the Spirit. She returned home, safely, and when she was asked what happened, she simply stated, "I was just so tired."
Have you been there? I have.
I am left to wonder why we arrive at that place, even in the midst of lives that are not full of chaos and tragedy. Life can be ok, in fact, it can be wonderful, but we can still arrive at that place of needing to take a quiet walk to find a quiet place to sleep, until our bodies are satisfied.
While there are many reasons this may happen, I think many of us (especially females) feel we must strap on the superhero capes and be all for all and do so with a smile on our faces. Pretend there is no struggle. Pretend my arms alone are strong enough. Pretend all the things left to do are a snap for the superwoman I am.
We are lying to ourselves, to those around us. We are putting ourselves in dangerous places and putting those around us at risk. Some women walk out and do not return, simply because they are too tired.
What then is the answer? We need to start asking for help. Throw out the lifeline, admit we cannot do it all, nore do we want to do it all (alone), and allow someone to pick up the other end. Gratefully accept the help offered and do not worry what the person may think of you. Secondly, we need to take the time to hear and see one another, to pick up one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2). This world will feed you the lie that you should be able to do it all and do so in heels with your hair neatly in place and make-up perfectly applied. It is not true, it simply isn't. We were never intended to walk through life alone. We can claim to be "independent" all we want, but friends, we need one another. We are stronger together (Ecclesiastes 4:11-13).
If you are in need, ask for help. If you are in a season of strength, reach out to others. Make a phone call, send a card, hug a neck, cook a meal. We do not need to be elaborate in our assistance of one another, we just need to stop standing around watching each other fall.
As I was listening to a friend share some of her recent struggles, she told me a story that has continued playing in my thoughts. A few years ago, a woman went missing. She was a wife, a mother, involved in her children's lives, their church, and many other things. She had a nice home, she and her family were well cared for, and she was happy to serve. Yet on this day, she dropped her children off at school and was not seen again for three days. What happend to this woman who seemed to have it all?
After dropping off her children, she went for a walk. During her walk, she found an old church and stepped inside. There, within the quiet walls of the sanctuary, she laid down and went to sleep. And she slept, for two days. When she awoke on the third day, she sat in the quiet and simply absorbed the quietness, the whisperings of the Spirit. She returned home, safely, and when she was asked what happened, she simply stated, "I was just so tired."
Have you been there? I have.
I am left to wonder why we arrive at that place, even in the midst of lives that are not full of chaos and tragedy. Life can be ok, in fact, it can be wonderful, but we can still arrive at that place of needing to take a quiet walk to find a quiet place to sleep, until our bodies are satisfied.
While there are many reasons this may happen, I think many of us (especially females) feel we must strap on the superhero capes and be all for all and do so with a smile on our faces. Pretend there is no struggle. Pretend my arms alone are strong enough. Pretend all the things left to do are a snap for the superwoman I am.
We are lying to ourselves, to those around us. We are putting ourselves in dangerous places and putting those around us at risk. Some women walk out and do not return, simply because they are too tired.
What then is the answer? We need to start asking for help. Throw out the lifeline, admit we cannot do it all, nore do we want to do it all (alone), and allow someone to pick up the other end. Gratefully accept the help offered and do not worry what the person may think of you. Secondly, we need to take the time to hear and see one another, to pick up one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2). This world will feed you the lie that you should be able to do it all and do so in heels with your hair neatly in place and make-up perfectly applied. It is not true, it simply isn't. We were never intended to walk through life alone. We can claim to be "independent" all we want, but friends, we need one another. We are stronger together (Ecclesiastes 4:11-13).
If you are in need, ask for help. If you are in a season of strength, reach out to others. Make a phone call, send a card, hug a neck, cook a meal. We do not need to be elaborate in our assistance of one another, we just need to stop standing around watching each other fall.
1 comment:
This is great encouragement! I've always struggled with asking for help... I don't want to put anyone out ever. I am one that likes to serve and help others and the blessing for me is always in the serving. So, I realized awhile back that when someone offers to help and I refuse I am actually robbing them of their blessing! It's still hard, but I try to say yes to help when I need it :) Great post!
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