Build a Bridge

Have you ever sat patiently listening to someone and thought....man I wish they'd just get over it already?   It could be the ten thousandth time you've heard them tell the story or make reference to their pain.  Maybe I am the only sometimes heartless soul out there.  I think there is a whole song written about me then...."how could you be so heartless?"

However, I reckon (yes, you read that right, reckon) I am not alone though.  I had an experience recently where I kinda got surprise right hooked by God.  Well, not realllllllly, but needless to say He got my attention and He got it good.  I was having one of my "heartless moments" thinking, for the love of fried green tomatoes why don't they just get over it already, when a still small voice piped up and said, well why don't you?  I jolted, really, I think I did.  I sat up a little straighter as though to be more proper in my processing of that small, yet powerful phrase, "why don't you?"  What do you mean "why don't you?"  So I that thinking of the times that my friends could have possibly thought man, why doesn't she just get over it?   I thought, hm, maybe they are sick of hearing me talk about my weight struggles or how I fear certain things, or certain school problems.  Even if my friends never get sick of hearing me carry on about my struggles, it sure made me realize that from an outsiders perspective, it appears as if I should be over some of my struggles already. 

So, in that moment of clarity I realized something.  We ALL have something we just need to "get over already," but it really isn't that simple.  Deep hurts take work to get over and sometimes instead of telling someone, "build a bridge and get over it" as the old timers used to say, we need to build a bridge of compassion and encourage others in their struggle to get over it. 

So, if you have someone in your life that you tire of hearing their woes, just stop and encourage them exactly where they are on their journey.  The healing isn't up to you, it is up to themselves to do the work ultimately,  but you can encourage them in the right direction.


"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"  Luke 6:41

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~Plato

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.  ~Maya Angelou