When You Can Do No More

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I had an experience this past week that taught me that I was no longer effective at helping someone close to me through some very stressful problems. My effectiveness while once beneficial had dwindled just by the sheer massive number of times I had been the one to say "Everything will be okay" despite continued hardships. The other party could no longer hear my voice. The situation between us became more of a disconnect that a help.

It was a moment where I knew I needed to step back. And I needed to trust that God would put the right people and experiences into the equation to help my dear one because my turn had ended. It's hard to see someone suffering and not try to help, but I knew I wasn't helping anymore. Letting go and allowing God to fill the void required  more faith than I had.

But the more I quietly sat and thought about the situation, the more I knew it was right. Throughout the day the topic came up with friends and family and I saw that there were others well equipped to step in and provide love and leadership and care. I just had to let go. As I type this, in my mind I am writing the problem down on a piece of paper, putting it in the palm of my cupped hands, opening them and allowing the wind to take that note and it's requests to wherever it needs to go.

I am setting the situation free to be blessed by others. I am setting myself free from the fear and worry. I am setting my dear one free to continue on the journey to discovery. This is a good thing. But it took some working through to get here to the other side of the problem. Now I feel free to watch and listen and see what God has in store.

You can find out the rest of the story and read a follow up to this post here.