Hidden Treasures: Encouragement For The Hard Days

I feel like my brain is tripping over itself trying to write this post.

The last few days have been such that the memorial service we had for Keith Saturday seems like a distant memory. It has been five days of colds, GI bugs, middle of the night laundry and baths, and not enough sleep. Mom and I feel something like we are in a circus side show.

There is something about these hard mothering days. People say babies don’t stay little forever. They don’t, but in the midst of the long, long, unending days, I feel doomed to a life of dirty diapers, nonsense toddler arguments, and tripping over train sets. There was a point last night when Libby was crying in mom’s arms, Caleb had woken up sick again, and I was overwhelmed by the chaos; we may have all been crying. It was a blur.

I don’t share this to complain or garner sympathy, but to acknowledge that sometimes life is really hard.

Who would’ve thought Keith’s memorial service would not have been the hardest part of this week.

I can’t help but think how similar the throes of newborn/toddler land are to the grief journey I am walking at the same time. The exhaustion and lack of perspective that accompanies grief is not unlike that of a new mom with a sick toddler. The minutes feel like days and the days and nights blend together. It feels unending.

Thankfully, there is hope.

This morning mom and I read one of God’s promises that couldn’t be more perfect:

And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—
    secret riches.
I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord,
    the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name. [Isaiah 45:3 NLT]

God promises to give us gifts in the midst of darkness and struggle. He gives us glimmers of hope when we feel like it can’t get worse. I’m not sure whether I’m encouraged or annoyed that these are special treasures that we can only find when we are in those awful, unending seasons of life, but I am so thankful that he does in order to remind me who he is.

And that he calls me by name. He knows me personally and knows the exact gifts that will lift my spirits and remind me that life keeps going.

This week I’m convinced that HGTV and Netflix were invented just for me. That and Godiva Dark Chocolate brownie mix.

Whether your chaos is a house of sick people with toys strewn everywhere and underfoot or the loss of a loved one or an overly tense situation at work, God has treasures hidden for you. Even when it feels like he isn’t present, God is pulling you back to him and wants to hold and comfort you.

I know because he’s doing it for me right now.

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Because sick children make for delirious adults, we’ve created an I Spy scavenger hunt of our own hidden treasures. Enjoy!

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