People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat . . . . When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them. // Mark 6:31, 34
I rubbed my eyes, bleary with exhaustion, and scanned my lengthy to-do list. I’d just gotten over being sick, had a major surgery scheduled in three days, and could hardly process the overwhelm of tasks underscored by the ticking clock. There were work projects to wrap up and countless logistics to arrange so my family could still make it to school, sports, and have food to eat during my recovery. I didn’t relish the thought of surgery, but at this rate at least I’d have a few uninterrupted hours of rest under anesthesia!
Then the email came. My son was dealing with something difficult, and it surpassed every other task and thought of rest. Stress over my schedule dissolved into heartbroken pity; my exhaustion reached a new low. I was already stretched far beyond my human means, but now I was being asked to give infinitely more.
“Lord, I can’t.” I prayed. “But You can. I need You to do this—in me and through me.”
In that moment, Our Lord’s Own heart moved with pity, and I felt a surge His love infused with supernatural strength—enough for me to take a deep breath and the next grace-filled step.
Our God never grows weary of meeting us in our need.
As Psalm 23 so poignantly reminds us, whatever our valley of suffering, God desires nothing more than to meet us there “with His rod and His staff that give [us] courage” (Psalm 23:4). Notice how Our Lord doesn’t swoop in to pluck us out of the dark valley, but instead draws alongside us to walk intimately with us, to help us reach even greater heights of glory.
Sometimes in life we have to be stretched beyond our perceived limits, propelled beyond all natural human limitation, in order to notice God’s invitation: Will you turn away from self-reliance in order to receive My supernatural strength?
Today, let the Lord gently point out where you’ve been trying to manage it all yourself. Give Him permission to walk with you—and give yourself permission to ask for the supernatural help He’s longing to freely give.
Megan Hjelmstad (“Helm-stead”) is a wife, enthusiastic hockey mom, and Army Veteran living in Denver, CO. After serving fifteen years in the United States Army, Megan now serves the Church as an author, speaker, and women's mentor in her “spare” time. Megan loves to share God’s hope in suffering and is the author of Offer it Up: Discovering the Power and Purpose of Redemptive Suffering. She’s a long-time team member of Blessed is She and a writer and speaker for several other ministries. Megan adores books, sleep, sunshine, and Colorado’s great outdoors almost as much as she adores Jesus in the Eucharist. Learn more at MeganHjelmstad.com.
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