You Can't Handle The Truth (?)
The other day I was having a conversation on the porch. One I've had with myself several times, “Why do people who are suffering spare details?”
A mom dealing with Cerebral Palsy shares parts of her life and some of the frustrations of maneuvering through her days. A friend shares an update on her continuing battle with the ongoing attack that cancer is having on her body. A news article shares a story of a family dealing with a child's A L L.
Do you want to skip these real life experiences and go to the next happy tale? Do you force yourself to read them and then think about what's behind what you see; what the rest of the story really is?
Why did that mom, who shared so much of her daughter's battle every single day, only share some of the details? Why did she leave out the screaming, the horrid bed sores, the hours of begging for relief, vomiting, helplessness, heart-wrenching doctor appointments and the questions of "why". Why them, why their daughter, why this life, why this disease. The fear. Why did they not mention the fear?
When my grandfather was dying I saw a peek into what goes on behind the curtains; when the blinds are drawn and the night comes. People come and go, meaning well and trying to help; they often miss the truth.
There is humiliation, unexplainable pain, debilitating fear, despair, loneliness, anger and truth. That truth is hard to handle. For the fighter, the family, the friends…
Maybe they don't share what they're really going through because there aren't words that truly express the full meaning of the truth. Maybe they know you wouldn't be able to handle it, let alone understand it. That truth may be too much for even them.
Could be they are so busy living it they don't have the where-with-all to consider you. They're so consumed with life as it is they can't even see the next moment let alone wonder what you're thinking or whether or not you have any idea what they're going through. Sometimes the bomb falls so fast all they can do is react. They go into self preservation mode. That's how it was in my experience.
These aren't skeletons they have in their closet. It's the Grim Reaper and it's all they can do to keep him at bay.
When I ask why bad things happen to good people, I know it’s because they're the ones that have faith enough to go through it. They're the strong ones. The ones who have enough grit to face the grind. Often they're the ones with the most faith. They hang onto hope because they know where to find it. Through it all they gain mercy through grace and in the end they'll finally have peace.
October seems to have a myriad of " awarenesses" and I can find connection with several: I have a black dog, I like coffee, I've had a miscarriage and there are spaces in my heart for many diagnosis. If I could add one more, it’d be an everyday awareness. There would be a quiet knowledge of the need, many may choose to parade or march and there could be frames on Facebook as long as the awareness was fresh and noticed every day. The National Day of Prayer could be every day as far as I’m concerned and the awareness for Christ’s love for each of us is much needed today. People who are fighting their fight, whatever it may be and however it looks for them in their life, don’t have to go at it alone.
Divorce, adoption, loss of loved one, teenaged mom, runaway, food stamps, miscarriage, premature baby, person with differences and the list goes on, but one thing stayed constant and is still consistent in my life; I have NEVER been alone. I’ve never been left to face a challenge by myself. I’ve fought, been carried, pushed, redirected, dusted off, challenged and changed, but never have I been alone. Even when I’ve pushed everyone away, including God, there was never a time I was totally alone.
Whatever you’re going through, don’t think you are alone. You aren’t. Don’t think you’re the only one living this hardship, or even this glory, you aren’t. Someone out there probably needs to know about it and know how you get up every day. There may even be someone who knows what you’re going through, but they’re watching to see how you finish.
In any case, There’s someone there who cares deeply. They want you to come to them and they want to share this with you. Good and bad. If you don’t know Him, I implore you to meet Him today. Don’t let time get away from you.
Your struggle will never be yours alone. Your celebration never bigger and your fight never as powerful as when you have God on your side. Trust me. I know.
