The other day I was talking to a friend of mine on the phone.  We’ve been friends for decades and have managed to keep in touch.  Every few weeks or so we catch up over the phone.  We never email or correspond via social media due to one reason.  A couple of years ago she was diagnosed with a rare terminal cancer that eventually took her sight.

My prayer journal is filled with prayers for her and her family.  Life only got worse from there.  Since she lost her sight, she had to give up her career.  Then, she and her family were victims of violent crime at the hands of someone who should have loved them.  It was unthinkable, like a bad made-for-tv movie.

Life since then has continued to be challenging.  She sold everything and moved across country.  There, she was diagnosed with a secondary cancer.  Through all the chaos and heartache she has displayed remarkable grace and concern for others.

During our phone conversation she gave me an update on her health as well as other family members with serious health problems.  As she talked, I jotted notes in my prayer journal.  Then, she surprised me.  She asked, “How can I pray for you?”  I was taken completely off-guard and didn’t speak for several seconds.

How could she pray for me?  What a great question.  I felt about an inch tall.  I had no life or death situations.  My life seemed so simple and straight-forward compared to hers.  Only one item popped in my mind, but I wanted to push it away.  It seemed so trivial.  It was… the puppy.

Anyone who has had a young puppy knows the pain, no doubt.  You spend way too long outside, encouraging the puppy to potty, only to have it pee on the floor a minute after you go back inside.  And forget about getting a good night’s sleep!  Not only does the puppy take a while to go to sleep, but she wakes up in the middle of the night and needs to be let out.  She obviously needs to potty, but spends 10-15 minutes enjoying a midnight romp around the yard.  I’m not one who can fall to sleep easily, especially after 15 minutes out in the cold.  By the time I fell asleep, there wasn’t much of the night left.  That puppy had run my nerves ragged!  I was at my wits end.

So, how do I tell my friend, “I know you have terminal cancer and you’re blind and your family is going through significant health struggles, but my puppy is driving me to the point of insanity.”

And that, right there, is the problem.  We’re looking at it wrong.  If you look at that previous statement, it’s a comparison.  God doesn’t compare like that.  He meets us where we are.  Our God is a God of great things and of small things.  He can set the stars in the heavens and help you find your lost favorite pen.  Nothing is trivial to God.  He cares about that which is heavy on your heart.  Your problems are neither too big or too small for Him.

There are several problems with the belief that your issues are too insignificant to share with God or another.  First of all, it’s about the relationship, not the issue.  Secondly, it results in shutting God out of the situation.  There have been several times that God has delighted me with simple answers to prayer, like a large piece of cardboard or a helping hand.  God delights in providing for His people.  Finally, it destroys an atmosphere of mutual sharing, honesty, and openness.  When you gloss over your needs, you are not only being dishonest to another, but also dishonest with yourself.  It can also lend to an appearance of superiority.  I’ve got it together and you don’t.  When, in reality, none of us has it together.  We’re all a mess, just in our own ways.

Be intentional about bringing every concern to the Lord.  Try it out this week.  Bring to God something that’s on your heart or mind, but you feel it may be insignificant to others.  If appropriate, share that concern with someone you trust.  Don’t forget to celebrate answered prayers (even if it’s a no or redirection)!  I’d love to hear your stories!

Verses for this week:
Galatians 5:25-6:5
I Peter 5:5-11 *7
Zechariah 4:6-10
Mark 12:38-44
Psalm 17