Slowly, her eyes open as she lays silently, watching the light slip through the window, turning the night darkness into shadows of gray.
Another day to face. Another day to be thankful. Another day to trust the Lord.
Reaching for her phone, she sighs softly. She is familiar with facing the day with disappointments.
No texts. Check the weather. Open Facebook.
Inspiring memes, adorable animal videos, current events, and everyone’s opinions.
But it’s the “perfect” children and “perfect” marriages her eyes are drawn to.
And then the familiar heaviness in the pit of her stomach.
Being left out, being left behind, being different.
~~~
Those among us, especially Christians, who often post their happy lives on social media, should remember those who are in difficult situations.
We know who they are.
With good intentions, we celebrate our lives. Pictures speak a thousand words. Words have power. In our sharing, we should remember those we know who are suffering.
Since God says he is near to those who have broken hearts, shouldn’t they be close to our hearts, too?
Just about everyone has some form of social media. As Christians, we should check our heart when we share something. We could become prideful in our accomplishments and project our way of doing things as being the right way.
Sometimes, we should say your life might be different. Be you.
Everyone should celebrate with you, be encouraged and inspired by you, and most of all, be happy for you.
But we should also, always keep others close in our hearts and minds when we share our lives.
~~~
And you, who are not experiencing the preconceived perfect life, take heart.
Be happy for those who are enjoying good. Rejoice with them.
Don’t compare.
Don’t get bitter.
If it’s too hard to see, limit your friends’ list through unfollowing or create a smaller social media platform with limited friends during this time in your life.
It’s not all on you. You are protecting yourself.
More than anything, trust in the Lord with all of your heart, don’t interpret your life through your own understanding of it, acknowledge God’s understanding of it all, and trust that He knows all things and will guide and direct your life.
When you trust God, He trusts you, too. He knows who can and who will carry the light through the darkness of disappointments you face each day …
… to show others the way.
when it hurts 
Your posts are excellent and Spirit saturated!
Donna
Thank-you, Donna. I so want to give hope to others.
Kathleen, you are a bright light for me this evening. I love “don’t interpret your life through your own understanding.” Too many hours when I am down and questioning the mysteries of my life I begin to come up with my own answers. How wrong and more depressed that makes me because I am not the One with the answers!! What a mess I make when I lean to my own understanding of things. Thank you for touching my heart. God bless you.
Dale… Brandon’s Mom
Dale, I wanted to say it in my own words since so often we quote scriptures and sadly, we can become so familiar with them that we don’t “hear” them anymore. I am glad you were encouraged. We all need reminders to think about the things of heaven and not earth. (Colossians 3:2)