This past week was filled with a lot of angst for me. My washing machine has been down for almost two weeks, and when the repairman finally came to fix it, he realized he'd ordered the wrong part. So now, we may have to go another week without a working washer. And if you have kids and teenagers, you know that is not good. The laundry piles up fast, and keeping things in order without a washer feels almost impossible.
To make things worse, there are no good laundromats near us. And even if there were, I haven’t had the time to haul baskets of clothes back and forth. Between work, parenting, and everything else on my plate, finding an extra few hours to sit in a laundromat just isn’t happening.
Now, I almost hesitate to mention problems like this because, as someone who has done missionary work abroad, I know this is a first-world problem. Even within the first world, there are people enduring homelessness, medical crises, and situations far more dire than a broken appliance. I get that. And yet, inconvenience has a way of wearing on you, no matter how small it may seem in the grand scheme of things.
It’s not just about the broken washer; it’s the added stress, the disruption, and the feeling that one more thing has been thrown onto an already full plate.
Then, as if that weren’t enough, one of my best friends got a phone call this week that completely upended her life. Watching someone you love go through something devastating is its own kind of pain. You want to fix it, to make things better, but sometimes all you can do is be there. And if I’m honest, that’s been hard too. On top of that, a few of my other close friends are facing their own battles, and I, like everyone else, have my own struggles.
So, what do you do when life feels so ominous? When the weight of it all is pressing down on you? When you feel like you’re drowning in responsibilities, bad news, or just sheer exhaustion?
I won’t pretend I have all the answers, but I do know this, sometimes, all you can do is take the next step. Just one. Maybe that step is as small as taking a deep breath, whispering a quick prayer, or choosing to push through the next hour.
This week, I had to remind myself that perspective is everything. Yes, my washer being broken is frustrating. Yes, seeing my friends suffer is painful. And yes, my own struggles are real. But seasons of hardship don’t last forever. They never do. The washer will get fixed. My friend will find her way forward. The weight I feel today won’t always feel this heavy.
And even if the circumstances don’t change overnight, I can choose to shift my focus.
When I don’t have the resources, I lean on God’s provision.
When I don’t have the money, I trust that He will make a way.
When I don’t have the strength, I rely on the One who never runs out of it.
Matthew 11:28 reminds us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
That verse has been a lifeline for me this week. Because the truth is, I am weary. I am burdened. But I’m also not alone in it. And neither are you.
So, if you’re in a season where life feels too heavy, I just want to encourage you to keep going. Cry if you need to. Ask for help if you can. Let yourself rest when you must. And above all, don’t lose sight of hope. God hasn’t abandoned you. He hasn’t forgotten you. The darkness always feels the deepest right before the dawn, but light is coming.
I’d love to hear from you. How do you handle seasons of struggle? Drop a comment below or reach out. Let’s remind each other that we’re not in this alone.
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