Are you gasping for a summer’s breath before we have even reached the 4th of July?

Caregiving brings rich joys, like the appreciation of slowing down to soak in simple pleasures. It’s also complex and overwhelming. Maybe you’re longing for your own “Independence Day.”

I have been looking out my own window today, actually grateful for some drizzly rain. I have a lot on my mind, and on my wish lists of “ToDO’s.” And caregiving tasks, as ever, are pressing in on my range of responsibilities. So, some rain actually eases my fear of missing out on summer sunshine and outside activities. I feel some permission to hunker down inside and catch up on as many tasks as regular caregiving responsibilities will allow.

Do you ever wonder if God sees your rat race, hears your groans for mercy or cares about your ToDO list?

It’s true, sometimes I am caught up in cares that are not as much a priority to God as he would have them be for me. He regularly teaches me to set boundaries, slow down and let some things go.

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Most of us try to carry more than we are purposed by God to carry.

But I have also come to appreciate so much that God cares deeply about things that matter to me — even my need for some task completion and closure on plans. After all, God Himself is the One who designed me to be highly organized and full of energy for taking on projects! Nonetheless, in my weakness, I can make projects an idol. I can, at times, get carried away and give “my list” too much power.

Folks, even as I was writing just now, I was interrupted by the doorbell and needed to get my daughter, Carly, set up for her music therapy session. She was NOT interested and it became a 10-minute long persuasion event to get her to the family room for music fun. Once she was there, she was fine. Loved it, in fact. But to get her there, I had to speak words to her much like I sense God saying to me:

“Sometimes I ask you to do things
you don’t want to do, and you need to adapt.
But lots of times I can give you big freedoms
to do dive into what you love.
All the time, let’s do this together!
We’re a team! This can be fun!”

Sure, some things are off limits. God knows certain things will hurt us. But not everything we want is sin. He celebrates many of the things we celebrate, and He delights in making space for those good gifts on our behalf. While the enemy aims to convince us our desires are selfish or unimportant, God gives tender and merciful consideration to our heart posture and genuine needs.

What is something your heart longs for that seems unseen or trivial to God?

Let me encourage you that it all matters to Him, because YOU matter to Him. Yes, it’s true. God will sometimes ask you to pause or set something down that you’re holding too tightly. But God also delights in seeing you energized for the kinds of things He wove you for. After all, He designed you in your mother’s womb. He knows you — body, mind, and spirit.

Lean into your strengths. Know that God sees what’s going on, hears your heart cry and cares about walking through it all with you.

There are examples threaded throughout scripture that God hears our cries for relief.

Exodus 2:23-25
The Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.

God’s help and hope are profoundly personal (Romans 8:22-27) and mysteriously timed (2 Peter 3:9).

Romans 8:22-27
Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

As soon as music therapy is done, I’m going to give Carly a snack then let her play in the bathtub for a guilt-free hour. Guilt-free joy for her, and guilt-free satisfaction for me. My motives are mixed, yes. She will be so happy for the water play! But honestly, I will be very eager to throw myself into cleaning up some things on my computer while closely monitoring the bathroom for flood potential.

I am asking God, in His mercy, to grant glorious joy for Carly alongside accomplishment and closure on several things for me — according to what He knows is best.

No doubt, some reading here are just desperate for a nap (not project completion like me)! Maybe it has just been far too long since you could sit down for coffee with a friend, sister, or parent. Perhaps your soul would be refreshed in a chapter of a good book, ballgame or bath. Date night with one of your children or your spouse might be what would most refresh you.

Whatever your longing is right now, I pray you have an intimate experience of God’s freedom, vision and care for you in that need soon.

Lisa Jamieson is an author, speaker, special needs family advocate, and pastoral counselor. She is co-founder of Walk Right In Ministries where she trains and counsels family caregivers to walk abundantly in life, faith, and relationships. Lisa and her husband, Larry, live in Minnesota with the youngest of their three grown daughters, Carly, who has Angelman Syndrome.