“And it doesn’t matter,” I said, “but they took away a project that I enjoyed, that I was good at. I mean, all the time I would be told I did a great job, and I felt like I did, too.”
And I paced some more.
He made a noise like, “Oh.” It’s one of the noises he makes when he’s listening.
“And it doesn’t matter,” I said, “but there are people who now want to pull apart things I’ve invested and built over the course of months; and all it will take is one week and they’ll be destroyed.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because they don’t know any better,” I said, “so it doesn’t matter.”
“And it doesn’t matter,” I continued, “but I found out that someone took credit for things I poured myself into, taking the praise. Whatever, that’s just how it goes.”
And I paced some more.
“Wait,” he said, “you keep saying ‘it doesn’t matter,’ why are you saying that?”
“Because,” I said, “it doesn’t.”
“But do you know what does matter?” he asked, “You. You matter. Your heart matters. And maybe people are telling you that you don’t matter, and that’s the message you’re receiving. But, it’s not true. You do matter. I’m telling you that right now.”
And right then is when I started crying.
“When Jesus saw her weeping…he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked.
‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied.
Jesus wept.”
John 11:33-35
And the things that hurt your heart and reduce you to tears, hurt your Lord, too.