I have several friends’ blogs and other websites I enjoy reading, and I try to keep up with them as best I can. But there are two blogs that I read faithfully every day. Brad and Laura Grammer are friends of ours from Indy, and Laura is struggling with leukemia. Drew Christy is the nephew of another Indy friend, and he has been in a coma since a car accident on February 22. Brad, Laura, and Drew’s mom are all Christians, and the way they rely on Christ through their heart-wrenching circumstances is both convicting and inspiring for me.
I know it is cliche, but I think it is important for me to remember how truly easy and comfortable my life is right now. It is so easy for me to fall into the trap of thinking that my life as a stay-at-home mom of two small boys is incredibly difficult. But reading about the suffering of the Grammers and the Christys reminds me to be thankful for what I have. I complain when my kids are sick, because it means that I am stuck at home with them, listening to their whining all day long. But when Laura’s kids are sick, she has to go stay somewhere else and cannot see her kids because their germs could be dangerous for her. And Drew’s mom has been waiting for over 2 months for her son to wake up and talk, and she would probably give anything to hear him complain about something.
Staying home with two little boys is not suffering. Having a husband who works past 5 p.m. most days is not suffering. Not having money to buy new furniture is not suffering. Dealing with potty training and disobedience and whining most of the day is not suffering. Even dealing with seemingly never-ending diarrhea is not suffering. And not liking how I look in my jeans is definitely not suffering. But I’m embarrassed to admit that most days, I think and act and talk like it is.
In addition to praying for healing for Laura and Drew, I’ve been asking God to give me a better perspective on suffering and gratitude for the life He’s given me. Ever since my friend Linda, Drew’s aunt, reminded me how much Drew’s mom would love to have her son chasing her and screaming while she tries to cook dinner, I’ve been a little more patient with my kids. I’ve tried to view each day with them as a gift and enjoy them more. We never know what God has planned for us, so I want to be committed to making the most of this relatively easy time to teach my children and prepare my own heart to suffer for Christ’s sake.
The bottom line is that I can always find someone who is ahead or behind me on the suffering scale. My attitude should be the same no matter what God gives: reliance on Christ alone for my daily needs and gratitude for the ultimate gift of salvation that He’s given. I hope that God is glorified by my easy life in some way even as I see Him glorified tremendously in the life and faith of the Grammers and the Christys. Would you join me in praying for them?
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