One of my favorite posts is from January 8, 2015. The topic is Doing Hard Things. Go here to read it. I’m revisiting this topic because our children are doing really hard things right now.
Anna moved to New York last year without a job and moved in with someone she’d never met. She had to begin learning one of the world’s biggest cities. She learned how to navigate the subway, the buses, the taxis; where to grocery shop; how to budget her expenses.
During the first few months, one of her oldest and dearest friends was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer. Since she was local and didn’t have a job, Anna accompanied the friend to doctors’ appointments. She dealt with the shock and fear and pain of that diagnosis–her own and the friend’s. During the past year, Anna learned how to be a caregiver to a dying friend.
Since the April passing of her friend, she’s experienced crushing grief and survivor’s guilt.
Last year, Hattie finished up her Master’s Degree all while teaching her first year of fourth grade. She had to concentrate on those difficult endeavors while a long friendship disintegrated right in her own apartment. She’s dealt with parents who turn a blind eye to their child’s negative behavior, with parents who blame teachers for their child’s forgetfulness or a missing homework grade, with behind-the-scenes politics.
She’s also been shattered by grief for our friend and empathy for her sister.
Lane is participating in Army Ranger School right now. The school simulates the rigors of combat, so instructors push soldiers to the point of collapse. It’s a brutal physical and mental test for weeks, sometimes months depending if the soldier has to recycle (repeat) any of the sections. The soldiers are sleep and food deprived, cut off from family and friends except for sporadic letters from home.
Quinn is deployed to Iraq for nine months. He’s separated from family and friends. He’ll miss Thanksgiving and Christmas at home. He’s working twelve-hour shifts in 110 degree heat. He’s. Living. In. The. Middle. East. Syria is in the Middle East. People say Iraq is safe and stable right now, but militants still cause harm there.
We live in a fallen world. In John 16:33 Jesus tells us, “In this world you will have trouble.” Bad things, difficult things are going to happen. Smoothing every rock from our children’s paths doesn’t prepare them for reality.
From the original post: If children don’t learn to do difficult things while they’re growing up, how will they do hard things when they’re adults? A parent’s job is to help them learn.
As Christians, our children have the Holy Spirit’s help in persevering through difficulties because they believe Jesus’ words finishing John 16:33, “I have overcome the world.” They also have their successful history of enduring difficulties.
They aren’t perfect by any means, but tough things don’t rattle them. They’ve learned to push through their fears to enjoy the blessings on the other side.
In other words, our children have grit.
Here’s to the blessings on the other side.
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