Are You a Whiny Wimp?

By Sharon Autry

I am officially a wimp! I whine and complain about the most ridiculous things. Dried out leftovers. Missing the two-hour sale by five minutes. The smell of wet sneakers. Having to backtrack an aisle in the grocery store.

The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, was not a wimp. His “light and momentary struggles” included things like beatings, traumatic shipwrecks, and spending days, months, even years chained to a guard.  Those things seem anything but “light” to me.  But compared to the joy of offering people the hope of Jesus, Paul saw these persecutions as the temporary situations that they were.

As a mom, the closest I get to being tortured by a stoning is having food thrown at me. I sometimes feel chained to the house when my children share an illness that lasts for a week. But, put into perspective, these are light and momentary.

Our days are filled with such escapades. Potty-training, meal prep again and again, a troubled relationship at home or work, a sassy teen or rebellious teen. Sometimes the struggles seem so routine and futile. At other times, they can drain us completely. But the reality is that we, too, are achieving an eternal glory that far outweighs these temporary struggles. In facing these irritations, we have the opportunity to love through caring, discipline, and moments shared together. Through our light and momentary challenges, we can share the hope of Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, please forgive me for being a whiny wimp. Remind me that the temporary situations are opportunities to share You with others. Let that knowledge outweigh the discomfort of my light and momentary struggles. Thank You for the struggle You suffered for me as You made Your way toward death. I pray for Your same boldness. Following You…

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” II Corinthians 4:17 KJV.

Today’s devotional is by Sharon Autry, a wife and mom of 3. She has co-authored two books with her sister–Mom and Loving It and Hold You, Mommy. For helpful mom resources, visit www.momandlovingit.org.