Is there anything worse than being sick with a dreadful cold or flu and realizing you can’t stay in bed?
Illness doesn’t exempt us from our responsibilities and at the very least we have to find someone to take our place if we can’t show up for work or care for children.
I can remember times as a young teacher when the prospect of having to produce plans for a substitute seemed even more onerous than showing up sick in the classroom. Then again, as a nursing mother, realizing that no matter how awful I felt, it would be worse if I didn’t feed the baby.
Sometimes we just have to soldier on, especially when we’re in a tough place in our lives.
When our hearts are breaking from the stress of pain, loss, and uncertainty, it seems to me that God distinguishes between our need for comfort and fortitude.
I spoke last week of the Lord’s huge capacity for reassurance – moments when our best move is to temporarily lay down our burdens in order to “let go, and let God.”
But then there are times when I sense the divine message is more like: “You’re sturdier than you think. Keep going and don’t worry. I’ve got your back.”
I remember so clearly a friend from college who told of a priest’s nighttime prayer: “Lord, I only have time for five hours of sleep tonight. Please make it feel like the eight I should get.”
God answers prayers like these all the time – calling us to fortitude, but all the while providing the fortifications.
As Paul reminds us: “God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 The Message).
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