This week, I had this stubborn nail that won’t fall off. It was the last of all the other nails, that I had successfully removed because I wanted some rest for my fingers. This last one was dangling down the tip. It was difficult to remove, because it was tugged deep into the flesh of that one finger nail. So frustrating. It got in the way of everything that required my hands. The sting and hurt would remind me every now and again that it was still there. I would try to force it out again and again, but to no avail. I desperately wanted it off so bad, but somehow it was taking it sweet time – arghhhh

Eventually I thought to myself. you know what? I’ll just leave this thing be, hopefully it would drop off itself. I’ll try to be a little more careful whilst I am doing things that require my hands though (I think I can manage that). It wasn’t long after that, to my amusement – when I was heads down busy on something else, that I thought “oh wait, where is it?”- at some point this stubborn nail had dropped off itself without my awareness. I didn’t remember feeling any hurt at any point. It fell off easy, like it wasn’t the bane of my existence few hours ago. And I am persuaded that this is how some of the troubles we experience in our lives can appear. Stubborn, resilient, long, frustrating, exhausting – fill in with suitable adjectives.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away. our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. As we look not to things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” – 2 Corinthians 4:16 – 18 ESV – wooooooosh!!!!

What is the eternal weight of glory in the analogy of a hurtful stubborn nail? You ask. Very good question. Disappointingly nothing, sorry 😛 – but there is a profound lesson in the process – which is really what happens when we take the “fix and focus” away from the reality of stubborn difficulties and adversities, putting one foot in front of the other even whilst navigating the uncertainty. I had tried everything I could in the nail situation and then decided to let it be. Eventually it fell off on it’s own, not in a timeline I would be aware of, but in a much less painful way compared to the pain I would have experienced forcing it out myself, because I desperately desired it be on my own timeline. Pretty much how Jesus encourages us to live isn’t it? Drop your burden, let me carry it for you. When things are out of your control and beyond you, thankfully it’s a fantastic set up for God to slide in. -God: Hey can i get this for you? – The difference here is that we don’t take our focus away from the problem passively. We put it on something much more higher. We fixate on something beyond it..

Practically this looks like abiding, leaning on God for encouragement. Discovering new ways to put one foot in front of the other. Also being kind and tender with yourself. When I struggled to get that nail off, I decided in my mind to be more careful with my hands. Grieve the life that you desire but look ahead in anticipation and expectation for the one God has fashioned for you. The ache may come in different forms and the frustrating stubborn difficulty may persist but it will not be there forever. Just like my stubborn nail, it will fall off when you are least expecting. Meanwhile in this present moment, continue adventuring, embracing and learning to find other ways to remain groundedly thankful. One foot in front of the other shall we? Yes, to one precious day at a time….