Just Be There

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was (Job 2:13, NIV).

     As a mother, few things hurt more than seeing our children suffer. We want to take away their pain, to tell them better days are coming. When they are little, this can often be done. The skinned knees and broken toys of childhood lead inevitably to bigger problems--problems we can't always solve.
     The more mature and independent these beings we are blessed to love and nurture become, the harder it becomes to know what to do or even to say when they are hurting. Maybe that's ok. Maybe just our presence is enough.
     Do you struggle with wanting to fix everything for your children? How do you handle it when you can't? As the story of Job continues, his friends turn to that strategy with disastrous effect. Ask God to show you when just your presence, your love, and prayers are all your children need from you.