Last night one of my sons melted down in anger and frustration over something. In the midst of dealing with him my phone buzzed; it was a good friend texting, “I hate everyone in the world right now except you. Want to go for a walk?” Then an acquaintance called, desperate for help with her anxious daughter.
Sometimes life flies at me fast and furious, leaving me gasping to keep up. I have a rule of thumb that helps: when it’s clearly impossible to do it all, my default setting is to stay in the moment…and pray.
It doesn’t have to be a profound prayer. It doesn’t have to be a long one. “Lord, help me respond as You would to my child’s feelings” is adequate. “Father, give me the sustenance I need to say ‘yes’ to an 11pm walk” is perfectly fine. The miracles I need today are small ones, not big. Mostly they’re miracles that help me override my habit of thinking life should be easier than it is.
READ MORE: PRAYING FOR THE PASSERSBY
To be a hero, or even a saint, is a matter of responding in the way that’s needed in the moment it’s needed. This may be why having a grand scheme of “being holy” doesn’t work for me: holiness happens moment by moment, each time I choose what’s right over what’s easy, each time I remember to turn to God when I’m stressed.
Which reminds me of one prayer that’s often on my list when things aren’t quite so hectic:
Nudge me, Lord. Remind me to turn to You whenever I’m likely to forget.
