Your Complaints are My Prayers

"Every rose has its thorn." 

Poison so accurately made this claim in their 1988 song, and this little cliché line is so true.  The greatest blessings in life often come with their own troubles, yet, lately, I seem to hear so much about the thorns that I wonder if people even remember they have the rose.

Don't get me wrong; I'm just as guilty as the next person. We all have our bad days where we vent and grumble to any listening ear. However, ...

It is so hard to empathize with a person's THORNS when you're staring straight at their beautiful ROSE! 

Let me explain.

In the past few weeks, I've listened to several people tell me the woes of their children. I tried to listen wholeheartedly to their distress, but my genuine concern began to fade as the complaints piled into view (on a very touchy subject):

• We're expecting a child earlier than planned. I'm so bummed.
• My children consume so much of my time. I never have any time to myself. 
• I'll be so glad when my children are out of the house; they're so expensive.
• I never seem to get sleep anymore because of my child.

...and the list goes on

One even said, "Courtney, be so thankful that you have all this free time without a child." 

Please know that I care deeply about the conversations I have with others, but it is SO HARD to empathize with your woes as I'm staring at your rose. You see:

• We're expecting a child earlier than planned. I'm so bummed.
  As I look at your cute bump after losing our planned child, I'm so bummed.
• My children consume so much of my time. I never have any time to myself.
  The children of others consume my days, as I long for one of my own. I never have time to myself.
• I'll be so glad when my children are out of the house; they're so expensive.
  Words cannot explain the cost of losing a child. Cherish this time; you'll miss them when they're gone - trust me, I do - and I only had mine for 9 weeks.
• I never seem to get sleep anymore because of my child.
  I go to sleep and dream about one day having a child; my dreams are your reality.

In essence, YOUR COMPLAINTS ARE MY PRAYERS.

 

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Oh, how that simple phrase seems to haunt me now! Sometimes life's circumstances can really open our eyes, and I've realized lately just how much I've done the same to others. How in the world can they sympathize with my thorns as they're staring at my beautiful blessings?!

I complain about bad days at work;  

I once spent 8 months pleading to God for a job.

I complain about being cold when the air won't cut off;  

A sweet inner-city child prays for her power to not be cut off.

I complain about the house not being clean;  

The older gentleman down at the Salvation Army just wants a place to call home.

I complain about a bad hair day;
My precious friend is thankful to have beat chemo and have hair again.

I complain about eating the "same 'ol thing" again;
The student cherishes lunch, knowing that the next meal won't be until after the weekend.

I could go on and on. 

I've realized just how painful it is to hear others complain about the VERY thing you are fervently praying for, and I shamefully realize just how much I've added to others' pain. 

May we all remember,
someone else is praying for the very things you take for granted.

Life can be difficult, that's for sure, and I'm not saying we should hide our struggles... but complaining has never once solved a problem - action has. 

Sometimes, we just need to take action and know when to Shut. Thy. Mouth.

So, I leave you with this... 

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Until next time...