Life Was Never Meant To Be Easy

The saying "God won't give you more than you can handle" has had me wondering more than once.

Many times I think God has me confused with my Great Great Aunt Gertie and I don't think I have an Aunt Gertie, so he's really gotten me mixed up with someone else. Truth be told, the saying isn't that He won't give you more than you can handle, it's more that He will be there with you while you navigate this thing called life. And believe me, sometimes I also wonder if He is just tired of hearing from me as many times as I have cried for help from Him.

And it's not just me, everyone I talk to these days is dealing with, let's just say, A LOT. Most folks don't have just one challenge in their lives - they are facing a multitude of challenges.

Health, finances, children, and the list just keeps going on and on. So why is it that everything seems so difficult right now? And, more importantly, how does one get through all of the myriad of hills and other obstacles that continue to pop up at a moment's notice?

I would say the most important thing to help us get through all the muck and mire has to do with our relationships with each other. First and foremost, we should give each other a little.... No, let's face it, most of us need A LOT of grace. We should look at each person we come in contact with and remember one thing - we don't know everything they are challenged with. Some things may be visible to the naked eye, and a myriad of others may be hidden deep inside.

We should also remember that everyone, believe it or not, makes mistakes. As the Bible says, and even if you don't believe in the Bible,  "Judge not, lest ye be judged." After all, if we all took a long hard look in the mirror of self examination, I'm sure we would find we have each made a hiccup or two a long the way. So, show empathy and understanding.

Third, show patience. Sometimes it just takes someone giving another a little space. A little patience and realize they may be doing the very best they can do at that given time.

Forgiveness is also a biggie. Of course none of us ever forget when someone does wrong, but we can show them forgiveness. Let them know we understand  Hopefully, they will learn from their choice, and not repeat it again.

Finally, don't ever believe you are better than someone else. We all were created from the same rib, the same dust. We may look a little different. We may dress differently, talk differently, walk differently and think differently, but we all have the same back story. Some of the paths we have walked have been different. Some have had more challenges than others. But we all bleed red. We all have a heart that beats. Be humble.

This world was never meant to be easy. However, we can all make it a little better on each other if we remember we are not alone in this life boat. We have each other. And for those who believe, we have God to help us through it all.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Offer a helping hand to someone who needs it. Accept one when it is offered to you.

Don't ever give up especially before you even try. Always give it your best. Failing is not failure, so long as you did your best and learned something from the experience. You are, and always will be, a winner.

Stay true to who you are. No one can dull your sparkle unless you give them the ability to do so. You are not who someone tells you that you are.

And finally, as my daddy always said, "when you think you're at the end of your rope - tie a knot and hang on."