How can I possibly savor the hard moments?
This is the question I was asking myself as I stared at the ceiling at 2:30 this morning. I was completely irritated and Jackson was wide awake.
This scenario is common at our house thanks to ADHD.
Falling asleep is hard and he often wakes up in the middle of the night fully awake and ready to start his day.
I am not a middle of the night person.
I need my sleep.
The newborn phase almost killed me!
I drug myself out of bed at 6:30 this morning determined to get Jackson up and ready for school on time – even though he hadn’t fallen back to sleep until around 5 a.m.
I was in a bad mood and my thoughts were on all the hard things we deal with as a special needs family. I continued to ask myself the same question: How can I possibly savor the hard moments?
That’s when this verse from James came to mind:
Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (1:2-4)
I can savor the hard moments because they are making me more like my Savior.
Romans 5:3-5 promises we will bear good fruit if we don’t give up when things get hard.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Luke 8:15 says by enduring we produce fruit.
There are a lot of hard moments and challenges on the special needs journey. I have to find a way to savor those moments just as much as I savor the good ones.
I have to remember that even in the midst of the hard, there’s always something to be thankful for.
I have to remember that God has promised to never leave me or forsake me. He promised to give me wisdom. He promises to give me rest when I am weary and burdened. He promises that His grace is sufficient.
But more than anything, He has promised to work ALL things together for the good of those who love Him!
Even sleepless nights, meltdowns and the hard moments I don’t feel like savoring.
“I can savor the hard moments because they are making me more like my Savior.” –> THAT is everything, and perfectly said my friend. I’m proud of you. (And I like my sleep too, and I have a toddler that has had wonky sleeping habits lately!)