For such a time as this...

This past week has been a wild one in ministry. Well, it felt wild. Perhaps it was just life as a
whole. My son was having issues adapting to the long walk to his new class in 2nd grade; too
many noises and people all at once are extremely overwhelming and overstimulating for him.
In his anxiety I felt at a loss. 

How do I best meet his need while remaining patient and compassionate to what I cannot
understand? How do I communicate with a child who doesn’t have the words or energy to
appropriately express what he’s feeling inside? 

And how can this child, my own child, be such a mystery to me right now? 

“Surely I’m a failure. I don’t even know my own child.”

“He must not feel safe or secure with me if he won’t talk to me about how he’s feeling.”

“This is hard, I’m not cut out for this.”

But honestly, my friend? I am. I was created for him and he was created for me.

We were created for one another - I was entrusted with his care and to love him. 

And sometimes I’m not going to know how because, in all honesty, I’ve never raised a little boy
before. I have never had a nearly 8 year old boy who’s overwhelmed by the loudness and
volume of the world around him, and even if I had experience in this arena, I still wouldn’t
because each and every one of us is created so uniquely. 

What I do know is how the Father made me: an attentive listener with a compassionate heart
who has the willingness to communicate and help and support others in their need.
He also made me strong, with a willingness to see when a little prodding is needed, to
encourage someone to do hard things even though they don’t believe they can. 

A little bit different in context is the story of Queen Esther in the Bible. Esther feared fulfilling
her call because if she did, her identity as a Jew might be realized - and experience told her
she wouldn’t fair well. But God reminded her she was “created for such a time as this”…
Esther didn’t know how things would turn out and she definitely doubted her ability to fulfill
her call - but God! 

The Lord is sovereign in our messes, in our weaknesses, in our inabilities - His power is
made greater in these times and He is alongside us, equipping us and calling us forward in
the positions He’s placed us in. 

We have to trust Him, not ourselves. 

So I will love this little boy where he is. I might not know on my own how to help him, but I
know my God is leading me to people, tools and resources that do and that will help.
Surrendering this call I have to parent this little boy is exactly what I have to do, and God
will meet me - He already has. 

We were made for this…and to whatever call you’re facing, so were you.