WHAT I TEXT MESSAGED MY MOM
I had just started writing my Devotions on Diabetes book when I text messaged my mom with a question to get her perspective. I had heard it was common for parents to look for the root cause of their child’s diabetes, which seems a little obvious, but also that many of them start to blame themselves. I wondered if she dealt with any of that. So I asked.
“Hey mom… random question for the book… did you go through a period of time after my diagnosis that you wondered if you did something to cause it, or didn’t do something to prevent it, or what you/I did to deserve it? Anything like that?”
This was her response.
“It all happened so quickly that I didn’t have much time to think at all. I do remember the hospital staff telling us there was absolutely nothing either of us did or didn’t do to cause it. I just remember feeling helpless that I couldn’t ‘fix it’ and several times waking up thinking it had been a dream. Overall, my main focus was to try to keep everything as normal as possible so you and your sister wouldn’t be scared, even though I was scared, heartbroken, and trying to adapt to something I knew nothing about, all while knowing that your health depended on me figuring it all out.”
When I got this message back from her, I just sat there staring at the screen. Honestly, I wanted to cry. I hadn’t realized the weight of diabetes she felt with my diagnosis… it just almost breaks me to think of it. How is someone, as a parent, supposed to hold it together under that kind of pressure and stress?
Maybe you were the one who was diagnosed, and your other family members rallied around you like mine did for me. Perhaps you are the parent of a child who was diagnosed with diabetes and you felt enormous responsibility like my mom did. Or maybe you were a sibling or a close friend. Whatever your relationship to someone with diabetes, there is a weight of diabetes that comes along with the diagnosis.
If you are feeling completely overwhelmed, if you don’t think you can make it through, I just want to reach through this webpage and give you a hug. And I also want to point you to Matthew chapter 11.
BEARING THE BURDEN OF DIABETES
When I was diagnosed, my mom learned all the “rules” of diabetes. She was feeling the weight and pressure to do everything just so, and to protect my sister and me all at the same time. That’s quite a load to bear. But bearing heavy loads isn’t what God created us for. He didn’t create us to feel as though we are sinking under the pressure.
God is for us, and He wants the best for us. He is our shepherd who cares for His people (Psalm 23). He is our warrior who fights our battles (Zephaniah 3:17). He is our provider who gives us all we need (Philippians 4:19). He is our encourager who reassures us (Psalm 54:4). And He is our comforter who embraces us in the hardship (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). God is for us and He is with us. We don’t have to carry the heavy burdens.
So today, I encourage you to turn to God and give up your heavy load. Give it all to Him and allow Him to work in you and through you to do your part while He is also at work in the situation on your behalf. Place your burdens at the foot of the cross and thank God for His goodness and His provision.
LETTING GO
What heavy burden have you been carrying? What load has been weighing you down? Take time to pray through what you need to release to God today.
Father, thank You that You offer me endless opportunities to come to You. And thank You for inviting me to approach You when I am feeling overwhelmed and stressed and just about to fall to pieces under the weight I sometimes carry. I pray I would more often turn to You, release my heavy burden, and place my trust and hope in You as I find rest. Amen.
For further reading: Psalm 55:22