[Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding.]
Challenges. Obstacles. Burdens. Laborious. Painful. Hard. Difficult. Strenuous.
Pick a word that corresponds with something (or life in general) being difficult and you will find these words. Time and time again we see loved ones experience pain, loss or loneliness. These instances or life events are ones that don't have the 'easy answers' or the 'right words'. They are the real hardships that make us question not only ourselves, but our faith.
The subject itself was a topic I recently read by a military spouse who wrote about "solo-parenting." You can find it here. (This is to all the women who have endured this time and time again--God Bless YOU!)
The hard stuff is all around us. You can't escape it. You can't ignore it. You can't magically wave a wand and get rid of it. Whether it be a deployment, TDY, losing your mom to cancer, a miscarriage or the inability to get pregnant--it is challenging. No, that doesn't take away from the mundane obstacles like your two year old throwing a fit in the middle of Target or manhandling all four kids by yourself 4 out of 5 nights a week. Sure, that isn't easy. It may not even be fun. However, the importance on this subject becomes about perspective. What is truly laborious or hard?
I asked myself that very same question and it brought me to two words: humility and guilt.
(I think you catch my drift)
So while the days may be long, tiresome and tough--in the grand scheme of things, what is truly challenging? What is truly worth getting upset or resentful over? What makes us stronger? What makes us more capable?