Hope for Your Hidden Pain and Unspoken Struggles
Our kids looked adorable together, and someone said something about taking a photo. It was after the comment about how they’ll look nice together at prom someday that his eyes filled with embarrassed tears. He buried his face in his mom’s hip and wiped them away on the hem of her shirt. The moment got me thinking about our hidden pain in life.
I understood the little guy’s struggle. I hid my tears throughout most of my childhood too.
No one ever made fun of me for crying. I simply thought I needed to appear strong. All the time.
The Truth About Hidden Pain
We all have struggles and weaknesses.
Some of us do all we can to hide our weak areas. We cover our weaknesses with false strength or overcompensate by trying too hard.
We hide our pain as well.
Life gets hard, and we do what we think we need to do. We bury our hidden pain and pretend we are fine.
But what if we have it all wrong?
What if we are most usable to God in the areas in which we are weakest?
What if we are most usable to God in the areas in which we are weakest? #weakness #struggles #hopeinGod #faith #encounteringGod Share on XI’ve been considering these challenges lately. I’ve also been reading a powerful book.
Candid Conversations by Heather Hart (and many more talented contributing authors) explores the struggles many of us face as followers of Christ. Heather writes:
“…whether it is an instinct or a learned behavior, we women tend to fight our hardest to put our best foot forward. We want others to think we have it all together. At the end of the day, we want others to look at us and think, “Wow, that lady has a ton on her plate, but she gets it done and she looks good doing it.”
The Truth About Your Hidden Pain and Unspoken Struggles
Pride makes us want to hide our struggles and bury our weaknesses; however, Scripture paints a portrait of a God who uses the weak:
The most powerful thing Jesus did was take on weakness.
In his book Making Sense of God, Tim Keller tracks the Biblical pattern of God choosing those who are powerless to fulfill his purposes. The ultimate example is Jesus, the only founder of a major religion who died in disgrace, abandoned and rejected by those who were closest to him.
Jesus’ example offers a new paradigm for how we ought to view weakness. One of the most powerful things Jesus did in his life on earth was to become weak. On the cross, at his weakest moment, Jesus accomplished the most powerful work in human history. In taking on weakness, he bore the punishment for the sins of the entire world, and he overcame Satan once and for all.
Inadequacy Is a Necessary Ingredient for a Miracle
We can look at the object lessons Jesus used throughout his ministry as well. Miracles require inadequacy. Five loaves of bread and two fish were not enough to feed 5,000 people. Jesus performed a miracle because of the inadequacy set before him (Matthew 14:13-21).
If you’re feeling inadequate to fulfill the assignment set before you – if stepping into the next big thing feels too far beyond your reach – consider the possibility that your inadequacy might be what aligns you to follow God up the next mountain.
God Uses the Weak to Shame the Strong
The apostle Paul wrote, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Worldly wisdom and human strength can lead to success, but God looks for those who are not wise in their own eyes or strong by their own power. He looks for those who will lean on him and follow him to establish his kingdom callings.
And so, the next time you begin to wonder if you have what it takes, the next time you feel less-than or lacking, remind yourself that not having what it takes might be the key ingredient for the next miracle in your life.
Your less-than and lacking areas might be the very places God is going to use to bring glory to his name.
To dig a little deeper into this conversation, buy your own copy of Candid Conversations here. Connect with the women who open up about their hidden weaknesses and unspoken struggles. Allow God to minister to your heart as you realize that we all struggle with something.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God
God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment. Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us. I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here! 
