By Merritt Johnston

In the last six months, the plumber has been to our house three times, the last of which was for an overflowing water heater. The AC guys have been out twice, and two roofers stopped by to give estimates after we woke up a few Saturdays ago to find a puddle in our living room floor. Oh, did I mention that my washing machine randomly fills up with water or that changing one light fixture in our living room turned into a six-month battle with electrical wiring that we still can't figure out?

To add insult to injury, I recently walked out to get the mail only to discover that someone had smashed our mailbox. I shouldn't complain because the mailbox was pretty ragged to begin with. Just an old, faded mailbox on a rusted pole that apparently pulled double duty as a target for our neighborhood birds' fly-bys.

It was an eyesore, but at least it was functional. The thought of having to repair just one more thing was pushing me to breaking point. Enter my sweet husband. The inside of our house seemed to be falling apart piece by piece (think Tom Hanks in Money Pit - I'm just glad we don't have a staircase), so he decided to spend the first few weeks of his summer vacation working on something we could actually fix...the yard. He trimmed trees, pruned plants, pulled weeds, mowed grass, and fertilized the lawn. And then he put his websurfing skills to work to hunt down a new mailbox. He showed me several options, and we finally landed on a cast aluminum beauty with custom house numbers from an online wholesale distributor.

He placed our order, and Operation "Adios Eyesore" was underway. Then Tuesday afternoon I walked out to discover several big, heavy boxes on the front porch. The mailbox of all mailboxes had arrived. Seriously, when Jeremy started pulling everything out and putting it together, I thought to myself, "This really might be the nicest mailbox I've ever seen." After looking at the ornate pole that accompanied it, we both agreed that our mailman might actually like delivering our mail now. So this holiday weekend, we'll be pouring concrete and installing our beautiful, new mailbox. Honestly, I'm just hoping that nothing else breaks in the process.

And I think that's how we often feel during difficult times spiritually as well. We put our best face on for the neighbors to see, but inside we're falling apart. Things are broken within the walls of our heart, but we try to compensate by working harder, spending more, and engaging with others less. If we can just remove the eyesores that others see, then surely no one will ask to come inside and see what's really behind the front door. But when we're truly struggling, we need God and other believers more than ever.

Galatians 6:2 (NIV) says, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

We've been commanded to help each another navigate through life's dark waters, but in order to receive this blessing, we have to be transparent enough for others to know our need. When a godly friend asks how we are doing, we have to be honest enough to really answer. And when we sense a friend might be in the midst of a storm, we have to do more than just offer an umbrella. We have to look beyond their fancy mailbox to notice that they're sitting in a water-damaged house with a leaky roof.

And at the end of the day, we can find comfort in the fact hat God sees every struggle and knows every need. He is "...our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1, NIV). He knows about broken washing machines, broken hearts, and everything in between. So if you find yourself in a difficult season today, let Him be your refuge. Open up the door to your brokenness and let His healing presence inside. You'll be glad you did.

Making It Personal:

• In your life, do you find it easy or difficult to share your struggles with others? What steps are you willing to take this week to share your struggles with another Christ-follower?
• Why do you think God has designed the Christian journey to be experienced in the context of "community?"
• What steps can you take this week to voice your struggle(s) to God and seek His refuge?

Merritt serves as the director of SAGE Girls Ministry, a non-profit organization whose mission is to reach, teach, and train young women to impact their communities and the world with the love of Christ. She makes her home in Brenham, TX, where she and her husband, Jeremy, are raising their rambunctious toddler named Josiah and two miniature dachshunds named Aidan and Adelaide.