READER SPOTLIGHT – Kelly Balarie

 

How to Get Through “One of Those Days”

by Kelly Balarie

 

It was one of those days.

 

“I don’t want to leave the house.  I don’t want to put my shoes on.  I can’t get dressed.  I don’t want to get in the car. I can’t buckle myself in.  I don’t want music.  I do want music. Mommy, I am hungry.  I am not hungry. I am thirsty.  I am not thirsty.”    

We make it to the car – a small victory!

“Mommy, don’t sing. I don’t like music. I want my window down. I don’t want the wind to hit me.”

 

Finally, our car pulls into our destination – a huge victory!

Goliath may have been strong and mighty, but all I know is that I felt like David as I walked onto that soccer field. I defeated my giant.  I arrived.  I did it!

A sense of relief washes over me.  I was ready for my time of solace.  My time to sit down and cheer on my adorable boy from afar.  I can be still.  I can sip a drink. I can think. I can recuperate.  I can “be”.I give him a little push in the direction of the field, and say, “Have fun, Mommy can’t wait to cheer you on.” 

If only the story ended here.  Because if it did, I could wrap it up with a bow and say, “persevere my sister, all will get better – just obey, be loving and trust God.”

 

But, guess what?  As I pushed my little son towards his class, tears gushed out, screams filled the air and his grip on me was tighter than a python preparing to eat his prey. Try as I may, I knew this boy was going to get his way.

 

The strings of my heart tightened in a knot and they became so tense and so tight that, for a moment, I felt like my heart was going to snap from the tension.   My next step was completely lost on me. I stood frozen and completely out of control.  I battled whether to shove or to love. Sometimes, we just don’t know.  Sometimes, we are at a loss.

 

And, sometimes, our days just end up a jumbled mess.  We want to hide.  We search for a rock big enough to hide us from the mess that is happening all around us.  Our world comes crashing down, and, frankly, we’re not sure if we can handle it.

Granted, I know this story is not a colossal life-threatening trial; but it was my trial for a day – and sometimes our trials are not the big things, but the little things.  Little things that add up to a big opportunity to fall into the arms of Christ.

 

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:

and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (Luke 16:10 KJV)

 

We all want to be faithful, but sometimes we can hardly keep our balance, let alone think about faith.  But, it is in this space – in these trials – where God has hidden beauty away, just waiting for our discovery.  It is where we stand in front of the true power of God.

 

We see that we can’t do it – but, He can.

We need Him in order to be faithful, to carry us through and to help us.  We need his strength, his power and his love to work through us.

 

When we finally realize we can’t “fix” life ourselves, we finally make progress.  We can drop our tired weary bodies into his hands,  surrender all and call on His name. We can lift it up, trust that he can hear us, and wait on Him to calm things down.    We sit in our pain and in our trials, knowing that we will come through.  We can trust in that.

 

When life is crumbling under our feet, and all else fails, there is one truth we can always stand on; he has a new day prepared for us – and new mercies – awaiting us in the morning.   He is there. hears us. He won’t let us fall.

 

“Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” (Lamentations 3:23)

 

Much love,

Join Kelly at www.purposefulfaith.com as she shares God’s beauty women who need a fresh drink of God’s grace and restoration.  She can also be found on Twitter at @Kellybalarie or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/purposefulfaith.