The rain outside seemed to match the discouragement I felt.

Life had been tough.

No matter how hard I prayed

nothing seemed to change.

And since my focus was on

change,

an answer,

relief,

healing,

help and more,

my discouragement mounted.

Then to put the icing on the cake

the voice at the end of the call asked “How are you?”

It wasn’t a close, personal relationship

but still….

I knew better.

My response came too fast.

They didn’t care I reasoned.

“Fine,” I muttered quietly.

But that was enough to stir my guilt.

I had refused to admit my discouragement.

So it grew deeper and more painful.

Days went by. Hard became harder and I felt helpless to deal with it.

But God knows.

He always knows.

One day a friend reached out to me with a simple text

asking if we  could catch up by phone.

A simple request.

Words that penetrated the pain and isolation.

Care that knocked on the door of my heart

Speaking love and connection

and I admitted my need.

We arranged to meet for lunch because I knew I needed time.

But

No longer did I feel alone.

No longer did I ache alone.

No there was another who cared and wanted to share it with me.

Another who understood exactly what I was experiencing.

Better even than that

God met me right there. God used her to touch me right where I was.

Everyone experiences discouragement from time to time

and it’s wise to know what to do.

First, admit it.

Yes, share with someone that you are discouraged.

That’s the beginning of coming out of the dark and into His light.

We need each other.

more than we realize.

Or maybe more than I realized.

each one of us

to help each other.

God puts the right person in our life at just the right time.

Do you need to tell someone how you really are?