LAUGHING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES
Olive was going through one of the tough transitional moments in childhood- teething. She was calm all day. She would rarely smile. I told Irewamiri that I would spend the evening playing with Olive.
I had a good teammate in Danielle. We made sounds, danced and made gestures. Olive was forced to laugh hard, play with us and return our gestures even though the pains were still there.
At that moment, I realised that it is a huge blessing to have people in your life when you are going through a tough time- people who can stay with you through pains and rough times.
There was a man who had been sick for 38 years. When Jesus asked him if he would love to be made whole, do you know his answer?
“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one…”
John 5:7 NLT
Having someone with you in tough times is a huge blessing.
David had such a huge blessing of men who stood by him when Absalom executed the rebellion and David had to flee. They brought bread, bed, encouraging words and hope to King David.
“When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was warmly greeted by Shobi son of Nahash, who came from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and by Makir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and by Barzillai of Gilead from Rogelim. They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, butter, sheep, goats, and cheese for David and those who were with him. For they said, “You must all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness.”
2 Samuel 17:27-29 NLT
One thing that is probably harder than going through a tough time is having no one by your side in tough times. Loneliness in challenging moments can make the matter worse.
Beloved, what are you going through now? Be grateful for the gift of men who are by your side. We thank God for Job’s staying power but how about his friends who could sit with him in his pains for 7 days without uttering a word?
The man with palsy had 4 crazy friends who could insist that he would not lay forever in his bed. They will not turn back even when the obstacle was real. They kept pushing till their friend got a miracle.
Everyone needs faithful friends. Two are better than one. Woe to him who is alone. You cannot handle tough moments without the blessing of great friends. May the Lord bless you with great friends. May you be a great friend also.
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