Over the past several months, I've been reminded repeatedly to be thankful for my circumstances. It began most pointedly with the good news of Andrew's endoscopy. Coming after a day of observing other parents struggling under the weight of their children's illnesses, I keenly appreciated his health and the health of my entire family. Reminders to be thankful continue, most recently, with photos I've seen this week depicting nearly starved children. Intervening events and observances have reinforced the message: My struggles are light.
Still - and here's where I may sound extremely self-centered and petty - they haven't always felt light. At times, only a conscious choice to take several deep breaths, entrust everything from the actual situation to my exaggerated emotions to the care of Christ, and walk on in peace have kept me from doing the opposite, namely flailing in despair. It's amazing how much lighter burdens are when operating in a condition of willful trust.
We probably all know that, at least on some level, it's all about perspective. Perspective, however, is not what I really want to talk about today. I know I should encourage all the average people out there who are fed, clothed, and loved to put on their big kid panties, look around, and see how great they have it. Instead, I want to offer them sympathy. (Though by all means, work on that perspective thing, for your own good!)
A right perspective is a choice, and one that generally does improve one's situation. Almost always, it could be worse, and this is where a right perspective can really come in handy in making us thankful that it isn't. But still, whatever it is, it IS. Perspective may clear one's mind, but it doesn't necessarily remove one's problems (unless of course, the problems are all in one's head). A right perspective gives us the courage to persevere and the hope that our perseverance will prove worthwhile, but when the clouds of discouragement disperse, we still must tend to the garden of life - pulling up weeds, nurturing tender shoots, chasing away hungry creatures... Life is work, however good your circumstances may be.
So while I am thankful for God's many blessings - for the love and health of family and friends, for food to eat and a bed in which to sleep, and for the tools to carry my particular burdens with confidence in the giver of all good gifts - I wish to extend the hand of fellowship to others struggling with what we might call "lighter burdens," the every day struggles of every day people that don't make the news or stir the sympathy of the masses, the struggles we are a little ashamed to confess because we know that in the grand scheme of things, "it's not that bad."
None of this is intended to trivialize the heavier burdens of our world - sickness, starvation, homelessness, war, brutality, death, etc. - nor is it intended to elevate the lighter burdens. My desire is simply to communicate sympathetic appreciation of those diligently tending sunny little gardens, wiping sweat from brows as they wonder just what this tangle of greenery will look like when their labor ends.
Grace, strength, and peace to you.
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