Here is the blog (insprired by recent events in the Cinnamon household) that I wrote for Journey Church...

Have you ever noticed that life is sometimes difficult, even painful? Over the last few weeks I have experienced some minor heartbreaks and witnessed those that I love endure unyielding ones. In my own humanness I, of course, want to avoid any such difficulties and would do anything to take such experiences away from those I care for so deeply. In the midst of such thoughts – God sweetly reminded me of something…

On Monday, I went into my four month olds room to wake her and get her ready for the day. As I walked to her crib – I noticed that she was lying on her back - a position I could not recall placing her in. As I began to think back to when I laid her down – I realized that I had in fact laid her on her tummy and that this could only mean one thing – she had rolled herself over! Wanting to verify that this is what she had done, I whisked her out of her crib and laid her, again, on her tummy - this time on the floor. Within seconds of laying her down – the frustration and tears began to well up inside of her. This was not a position that she wanted to be in. Worse than that, it was a position that she didn’t think she could get out of. She sobbed. She screamed. I can only imagine what must have gone through her little mind – knowing that I was right there, knowing that I could hear her cries and yet wasn’t ‘coming to her rescue’. And for a brief minute I even thought of reaching down, scooping her up and just holding her in my arms. But what would she learn through that? For a variety of reasons, learning to roll over is an important thing that she needed to know how to do. And while she couldn’t understand - I knew I needed to let her work through it. It took only a minute, though it must have felt like an eternity to her – and she easily rolled herself over. After much praising and many kisses – she now, just a few days later, can lay on her stomach much more contented knowing that when she is tired she can simply roll over.

What a strange, but sweet reminder from my God. There are difficulties, hardships, even pain that He allows for us to go through. In those moments we don’t understand, we don’t see an end or a way out and we find ourselves sobbing, screaming or even crying out in frustration. We know that He is there; we know that He can hear our cries, and we know that He could easily ‘come to our rescue.’ But often He doesn’t. He, knowing how enduring this difficulty will ultimately strengthen us or teach us, allows for us to experience it and work through it. Once we have – He stands ready to lavish us with His love. It is a pain that yields a comeback that often goes beyond description.

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