Monday morning begins a shoveling process around here. It’s when the activities from the weekend get put away and our lives are put in order again. It used to bother me that the house needed more work on Monday, but our lives are busy on the weekend.

Being a pastor’s wife is a different lifestyle with unique challenges. When most people are off on the weekend, this is our busiest time. Events are usually planned around others schedules not ours, so sometimes are weekend can be very full.

I can see these challenges as a mountain or a molehill. A mountain can take days, weeks or even months to climb. It can cause injury, extra resources and most are exhausted when they reach the top. A molehill and be hopped or stepped over with little effort.

I choose to take the molehill approach and make it a game. What molehill are you hopping over today?

Bryan, myself and our boys spent ten days with Bryan’s grandmother, MawMaw. She is a gem and a wealth of information. It has taken me 39 years, but I am learning to be quiet to listen and learn. I listened a lot during this time.

My favorite time with her was when I was helping her with her bedtime routine. It was just me and her. We would get on a topic and out of her mouth would come little pearls of wisdom.

MawMaw and I discussed an interesting story in the Bible one night. In John 9, Jesus is with the disciples and he walks by a blind man. This man was born blind and the disciples want to know who had sinned, the man or his parents. Let’s stop here because this is where MawMaw and I stopped. Really? They asked if this man had sinned. He was born blind.  Yes, I know we are born with a sinful nature, but the disciples were looking for a cause for this mans blindness and they were grasping at anything, even though it didn’t make sense.

There was a reason, and it was because Jesus the Son of God came to show the world his power and the works of God by healing this man. Trying to figure out with my finite mind why someone is experiencing suffering isn’t in my job description as a Christ follower.

My job is to be an agent of  comfort and encouragement to the suffering.

Romans 12:15 & 16 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

I’ve said stupid things to people who were hurting because I didn’t ask God for wisdom first. Pray and ask God for wisdom.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God ,who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

It is not my job to solve the problem of the person who is suffering. Pray for them.

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

Be a friend to the one who is suffering. Those who have experienced long time pain and suffering usually have few friends. Look at Job of the Bible. His friends weren’t true friends.

If you are concerned that someone you might be comforting is suffering due to sin, follow these same guidelines because only God knows for sure.