Opinions.
Everyone has them. Oh, those emphatic opinions everyone has about politics, dieting, finances, etc. It’s too bad we can’t create electricity merely from all of the buzz going on the world today.
But what about those opinions people have about special needs’ parenting? The ones that come from those who do not really understand your situation as a parent, nor have been in your shoes.
This buzz…these chagrined opinions…well, they get personal.
Feeling like you’re not understood is enough on its own, but when others who have not walked in your shoes throw their opinions around like confetti, that trumps it all. But there is good news, even when you have moments where you feel alone in this special needs journey, or like no one could possibly understand what you go through on a day to day basis. Stay with me…
I once made the mistake of reading through a bunch of comments from a post of a platform that I follow. The parents have a child with a rare medical complexity, as do I. The part we have in common is that it involves differences in facial features. As I viewed her post sharing her proud moment with a picture of her child, I hit the like button. I felt proud with her. I happened to scroll down and began reading comments. There were positive ones, but there were a few negative comments that really struck a chord with me. They were downright hateful. I was disillusioned at the words people actually had the gall to say. And these were prominent people making nefarious comments. I felt myself becoming angry. I was angry for her, for her daughter and family. Angry because even though I am not in her exact shoes, I do know what it is like to feel ostracized by society because of your child’s condition. How could they even bring themselves to say these things? Then, I wondered how in the world does this mom deal with this kind of spitefulness? Loe and behold, she fights back.
Opinions and advice are often two separate deals. Both could potentially be helpful or harmful. It’s deciphering between the two that gets tricky. Then I realized, this hateful comment sent to this mom, wasn’t meant as any heartfelt advice or positive input, and frankly, it lacked even an ounce of empathy. It was merely an aggressive and cynical opinion from one who has no idea what it is like.
I had to put down my phone because of the way this comment made me feel. So, I picked up my bible and opened it to whatever God laid on my heart. That is where I found my reminder of the good news I mentioned earlier.
What is this good news? – God. God understands. Not only does He truly know what is going on in your life, but He also empathizes, and He listens, even if it doesn’t feel like it at times. And the truth of the matter is that His opinion is the ONLY one that matters.
Don’t let others’ opinions of what they think they know, or what is best in their opinion, steal your joy. Keep sharing your story if that is where God is leading you. Continue fighting for your children, being a voice for them when their’s is lost. Keep your unwavering faith, knowing that showing not only the love that God placed in our hearts for our children but also the love that He has for us does not go unnoticed. He notices, and so do the rest of us that ban together, also needing to be lifted!
No matter your circumstance or your journey, God’s got your back! His love endures forever. He is our refuge. And well, His opinion: He chooses you…every…single…time!
“Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust
God bless,
Lisa
Usually I do not read post on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to take a look at and do it! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thanks, very great post.
Thank you, I hope you found it helpful.
Blessings,
Lisa