Who's It For

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. Psalm 119:50

I don’t always like doing hard or yucky stuff.  As a kid I was more than happy to help my grandma do dishes or dust.  I’m pretty sure I thought it was great stuff and I did it with a smile on my face!  But when my own mom asked me to do the same things it was dreadful and I was known to occasionally insert some drama while I tried to worm my way of helping her.

This week more than 300 people I spend my school day with have been asked to do something hard and undesirable.  In order to come back to in-person school the staff and 6th graders are masked all day and the younger kids are masked on the bus and while in the halls or working in groups.  My classroom has been above 80 a couple days this week, making the mask even more undesirable.  No matter where your opinion lands on the issue, the fact is, we do what is asked because that’s how bad we all want to be there.  The kids have been amazing and so resilient!  I’m so proud of them.  The big lesson this week has been about suffering.  Doing something hard or undesirable can be considered a suffering and the same grandma I helped dust and do dishes always said, “Don’t waste your suffering.”  This week we made that our focus in an attempt to follow our friend Samantha’s advice and “Stay Positive”.

I don’t like hard stuff but I can easily do hard stuff for someone else so that’s the premise behind the question “Who are you wearing your mask for today?”  It’s so powerful to pray for someone but it’s even more powerful to offer your suffering for them.  It’s really as simple as saying, Lord, I offer this suffering to you.  You can offer it for something or someone specific or ask the Lord to use your suffering to bless a soul in great need.  We were on day two of answering “Who are you wearing your mask for?” and someone said they would wear their mask for someone who was  having a tumor removed from their brain.  We all agreed we would join in and offer some of our mask suffering for that intention too.  The next day we found out that the surgery was such an amazing success the patient went  home the same day they had surgery.  When that story was shared I think every single person was touched and inspired and overwhelmed by the goodness of our God who took a simple suffering and used it in such a mighty way.  As we walk into the building and put on those masks there is a change in attitude when we think or say, “This is for___.”  I’m so happy to be back in school.  I’m so happy to surround myself with  middle lovelies who are so eager to grow in their faith and become disciples.

I hope the next time you have to do something hard or undesirable instead complaining, you’ll offer that small suffering to God.  The result is great grace outpoured in powerful ways.

A Seed To Plant:  Pick a suffering you can offer to God this week and before you do it, remember to think about “Who it’s for”! ​

Blessings on your day!