What’s your struggle?

I was lonely. It was hard to admit, but I couldn’t ignore that was the painful source of my challenge. 

Spending my days caring for my young son and newborn daughter were what I had wanted for years. But one day while sitting in a sea of toddler toys playing with my son while feeding my daughter, it hit me. I felt alone. Unseen, unheard, unable to have a real conversation.

I did not have any friends nearby that were in the same season of life. My previous coworkers were all older and had grown children. My college and childhood friends were far away, busy with their own growing careers and families. I longed for connection with other moms in my area going through the same things as me.

Once I became aware of my struggle, I was able to take steps to address it. I found and joined a playgroup in my neighborhood. I discovered a moms group hosted at a church that became a lifeline for connection – physically, emotionally and spiritually. The friends I made during that season were a balm for my weary soul. And it all began with admitting my struggle.

When we go through hard seasons, one of the first things we can do to shift our focus is to say the struggle. Not just the outward details, but to really dig deeper to discover the real heart of the issue. My struggle during that season wasn’t just that I was overwhelmed or tired; my real struggle was that I felt alone and needed the friendship and camaraderie of other moms that were in the same season.

Without knowing the true “heart issue” behind the feelings, I could have put band-aids on the other symptoms while completely missing the true struggle – loneliness. 

This week’s L.I.F.E. Tip:

Say the Struggle

If you’re in a season of unsteadiness right now, I encourage you to take some time to not only say the struggle, but to look deeper to determine the heart of the issue. It’s only after identifying the true source that we are able to take steps toward hope. 

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:5 (NIV)