Stop Giving Me Your Toughest Battles: Is God Unfair to Me?

Alright, alright, let’s talk about this thing, what was it? “God stop giving me your toughest battles”? Yeah, that’s it. Sounds like somethin’ my grandkid would mumble after a long day of, well, whatever young folks do these days.

So, God givin’ the toughest battles, huh? I ain’t no preacher, mind you, just an old woman who’s seen a thing or two. Folks say God gives the toughest battles to the strongest soldiers. But I gotta tell ya, I seen plenty of strong folks crumble, and plenty of meek ones holdin’ on for dear life. Makes ya wonder, don’t it?

Is it really about being strong?
Or is it somethin’ else?

Heard some preacher man on the TV yappin’ about how that sayin’ ain’t even in the Bible. Said God ain’t lookin’ for no super soldier, but helps them what are weak and humble. Now, that sounds more like it. I remember my old Bessie, the cow, she wasn’t the strongest, but she sure gave the most milk. Maybe it ain’t about muscle, but about somethin’ inside.

And let me tell you, life ain’t no picnic. It throws all sorts at ya. Sickness, money troubles, family squabbles… you name it, I’ve seen it. You get up one mornin’, feelin’ fine, and the next, bam! Life throws you a curveball. But you know what? You just gotta keep on keepin’ on. Like plantin’ seeds. Some sprout, some don’t. You just keep plantin’.

This “toughest battles” thing, it ain’t fair, that’s for sure. Why some folks get more than their share, I don’t know. But I reckon it ain’t about whether you strong or weak, it’s about what you *do* when the goin’ gets tough. Do you curl up and quit? Or do you dig in your heels and fight?

I’ve seen little kids, barely walkin’, fightin’ cancer with more grit than any soldier. And big, strong men brought to their knees by a little heartache. It ain’t the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog, as they say. Makes you think, don’t it? Maybe God, or whatever you wanna call it, just wants to see what we made of.

Stop asking for it to stop? I don’t think that’ll work. Life keeps comin’ at ya, no matter what. You can pray, you can curse, you can beg, but the rain’s gonna fall, and the wind’s gonna blow. What you can do is learn to build a stronger house, learn to weather the storm. Ain’t no point wishin’ for calm seas, gotta learn to sail in rough waters.

And you know, sometimes, the toughest battles ain’t the big ones. Sometimes, it’s just gettin’ out of bed in the mornin’, when your bones ache and your heart’s heavy. Sometimes, it’s forgivin’ someone who done you wrong. Sometimes, it’s just keepin’ your mouth shut when you wanna yell. Those little battles, they count too.

So, God stop givin’ the toughest battles? Maybe. But maybe, just maybe, we gotta stop lookin’ at it as a punishment and start lookin’ at it as a test. A test of how much we can love, how much we can endure, how much we can believe. And ain’t no test you can’t learn from, ain’t no battle you can’t fight if you got a little faith and a whole lot of grit. Don’t go wishin’ for an easy life, go wish for a strong back and a stubborn heart. That’s what I say.

And don’t be afraid to ask for help. Even the strongest soldiers need backup sometimes. Whether it’s from your family, your friends, or somethin’ bigger than yourself, we all need a little help along the way. So don’t go thinkin’ you gotta do it all alone. There’s strength in numbers, you know.

So, instead of askin’ God to stop, maybe ask Him to help you get stronger. That’s what I tell my grandkids. Life ain’t gonna get easier, you just gotta get tougher. But not tough like a rock, tough like a weed, that bends with the wind but never breaks. Yeah, that’s it. Be a weed, that’s what you gotta be.