The Best Thing to Do When Life Is Difficult

When you don’t like your reality, do you ever find yourself squeezing your eyes shut so tightly you wonder if they might pop out? Or clench your hands with such intensity the force leaves indentations on your palms? All the while – wishing, hoping, praying—life could be different. When life is difficult, do you know the best thing to do?

Navigating Painful Circumstances

However, knowing what we will do first when the pain feels like it will devour us whole is imperative to persevering well through life’s trials. Will we pull up our bootstraps, get moving, turn to friends for support, seek wise counsel, or draw up the covers over our heads?

When Our Children Hurt

For many, the most heart-wrenching trials involve our children. We may feel helpless and quickly become unglued as we fight fiercely for justice, strive to alleviate their pain, or desperately try to steer life back to what we had expected or planned. When we can’t fix the situation, the disappointment cuts deep.

The distressing circumstances may entail relinquishing a dream we held for our child, entrusting their care to others, sending them off to college, or moving out of state. We all have our stories of letting go.

Feeling Pulled Under

I remember feeling like I was treading water in a storm, desperately splashing about, trying to shield my child from the whirlwind of mental illness. The waves crashed around us as I struggled to keep her afloat. After all, my child had done nothing to deserve a burden of this magnitude. Giving up wasn’t an option. But in my efforts to save her, I kept feeling pulled under.

Like many other mom warriors, when our children suffer, we leap into action, searching tirelessly for solutions and planning for the best possible outcome. A willingness ignites inside us to do whatever is needed.

While this determination is admirable, we must be careful because burnout can happen quickly.  

When Overwhelmed

In overwhelming times, it’s crucial to pause and ask ourselves some key questions—

• Have I overlooked a crucial step?
  
• Am I clinging too tightly to control?
  
• Whose strength am I relying on?
  
• Have I placed my trust in the Lord?
  
• Am I letting Godtake the lead?

Do we truly grasp that crucial first step? Turning to Jesus may seem obvious to some, yet it’s often the last thing we do in desperation. 

Where to Turn First

We must turn to something greater than ourselves in moments of overwhelm, fear, and exhaustion. God is who we need, but sometimes, we need someone to help point us in the right direction.

When I find myself gripping too tightly to control, I turn to my dear friend, Jane, for prayer. She lights a quaint prayer candle, sends me a photo of the glow, and intercedes on my behalf. However, her wisdom is what sets me on the right path. With gentle grace, she ever so sweetly asks,

“Have you placed your worries in the Moses Basket?”

Usually, I sheepishly admit, “Not yet.” She then gently reminds me to put whatever is troubling my heart in the Moses basket and let God take control.

A Brave Mother’s Sacrifice

Do you remember the incredible act of courage from a mother many years ago? Pharaoh had ordered that all Hebrew boys born would die. When Jochebed, the mother of baby Moses, could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket, coated it with tar and pitch, and placed him inside as she sent him floating down the Nile River. With her daughter Miriam watching from the shore, she trusted God to protect her child and lead him to a better future. Imagine the bravery it took to release Moses and put her faith in God.

Letting go of something so precious takes unimaginable bravery, strength, and wisdom. Jochebed surrendered to the will of God and placed her trust in Him, even though it meant releasing her child into uncertain waters. Can you imagine doing the unthinkable and setting your child in a basket to float down a river in hopes of a better life for him?

Jochebed let God be Lord and trusted Him with her precious baby.

Read the entire Bible story here.

Letting Go and Trusting God

As we explored in “Is There More to Being Still?”, letting go is integral to finding peace. We must surrender everything to God, acknowledging we are not in control.

Let Go

We must place our worries, loved ones, circumstances, and concerns in the “Moses basket” and release them into God’s hands. Watch as they drift away down the river and have faith—God is in control.

Trust The Lord

When we trust in God, unexpected opportunities may arise. Pharaoh’s daughter spotted the basket and had it retrieved by her maids. She took a liking to Moses, and when Miriam offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby, the princess agreed. Moses’ mother was the one chosen, and she saved his life, nursed and cared for him until he was older, and instilled in him a faith in God. She then returned him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him and named him Moses.

If you are struggling with unexpected circumstances and feeling overwhelmed, know you are not alone. I would be honored to pray for you. Please drop a note in the comments or reach out via the contact page.

Continue to Let Go and Trust God

We often surrender our burdens to God only to snatch them back. Sometimes, this grab happens swiftly; other times, it occurs slowly over time without us realizing what occurred. But that’s okay—repeating this act of surrender is part of the journey and will take practice, faith, and a willingness to let God take the reins.

If you are not in the middle of trying circumstances—count your blessings and start practicing surrendering everything into God’s hands. He wants all of our concerns.

When My Life is Difficult

Don’t think for a second I have this wired. Recently, I was up in the middle of the night as big salty tears dropped from my eyes. I grappled with the pain of challenging circumstances as I tossed back and forth; sleep eluded me. Then, with a huff and puff, I jumped out of bed and reached for my computer, thinking I might as well be productive. The soft glow of the screen illuminated the room as I tried to shield the light from my sleeping husband. I searched for the next post to update for our series. Would you believe this was the article? 

I began answering the questions—

• Have I skipped an important step? Yes!
• Have I put my burden in the Moses basket? No!
  

At that moment, I realized I was trying to bear the burdens alone. So, I consciously decided to let go and trust in God. This action didn’t magically erase my pain, but the load did lighten.

God is in Control

When life gets complicated, remember to let Jesus have control. No matter how impossible our circumstances may seem, with God, anything is possible. His strength, power, and love can do more than we could ever accomplish on our own. His timing is impeccable. However, we must surrender and put our trust in Him.

So, I challenge you: What do you need to place in the metaphorical “Moses basket” right now? Whatever the troubles, give them to the Lord, and watch as He takes care of you.

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