I’ve been visiting the hospital to be with a very dear friend of mine who had a threatened abortion and eventually a miscarriage. When she was eventually discharged she shared that she was sad that her mother wasn't there (her mother was late). She was further saddened and offended that her aunts called but didn't take out time to visit.
Suddenly I had this déjà vu of how I felt after delivering my child. I just broke down in tears one day because although my mum was alive, she couldn't be there. I asked God why he would let that happen, it hurt me so deeply. Frustrated that this persistent yearning continued to pursue me days after, I confided in a godly friend. After sharing my struggle with her, she told me simply “But He has given you many mothers, all you have to do is accept them.”
Then it dawned on me, she was right. I had my sisters that treated me like I was still 13 years old, I had my sister in law who treated me like the daughter she never had (there’s a large age gap between us), there was my mother in law who never left my side and when she finally had to resume work, she invited her sister to take over. This dear woman who I was initially nervous about being alone with (because I am terrible when it comes to bearing pain and taking medication) made me feel as if my mother couldn't have taken care of me any better and told me all about caring for a newborn and life in the 1960s and 70s when she was a “Sisi”.
I learned through this incredible experience that God had responded to my yearning long before I even really needed it.
I told my friend the same thing. Her mother in law had spent all three nights with her in the hospital praying for her, she would leave to prepare sumptuous meals for her during the day when she would have her sister in law or her cousin with her, then I would come in the evenings to make her laugh and give her loads of encouragement and unsolicited advice… lol. She was never lonely and she had godly people who cared and encouraged her and lent her a shoulder to cry on when the doctors gave her the sad news.
No problem is too small or too big to share with God. No hurt is too insignificant to bring to Him. Not one detail of your life escapes His notice. Everything that concerns you concerns God, because he created you and loves you with an unfailing love.
The inner yearnings and longings we have are often there as opportunities to bring God glory and to stimulate love in us and those around us.
By Ijeoma Olujekun
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