When You Can’t Fix It

☕October 20, 2026

Good morning, friends! 💗

There is something about being a mom that never really changes, no matter how old your children get. You can watch them grow, become independent, make their own decisions, and build lives of their own, but that mama’s heart is always there. When they hurt, you hurt. When they struggle, you want to step in and make everything better. And when life throws something at them that you cannot fix, it can leave you feeling helpless.

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I was reminded of that recently during a visit with Clayton. It was such a blessing to spend time with him and meet his girlfriend. She is just as sweet as I had hoped she would be, and I am thankful for the opportunity to get to know her. Those moments with our children become even more precious as they grow older and life gets busier.

But along with the happy moments, there are times when we see our children facing things that scare us. We want to protect them from every disappointment, every heartache, and every difficult situation. We want to give them answers, make the right phone calls, find the perfect solution, and somehow take the burden off their shoulders.

The truth is, we cannot always do that.

Sometimes we have to stand beside someone we love while they walk through something we cannot change. We can listen. We can encourage. We can offer advice when it is wanted. We can remind them that they are loved and that they do not have to face life alone. But we cannot control every outcome, and we cannot make every difficult situation disappear.

That is a hard lesson for someone like me who wants to fix things. I want answers. I want a plan. I want to know that everything is going to be okay. When someone I love is hurting or facing uncertainty, my mind can run through a hundred different possibilities before I even realize what I am doing.

And that is when I have to remind myself of something important: I am not the one who has to have all the answers.

Psalm 46:1 KJV says:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Read that again. God is our refuge. God is our strength. God is our help in trouble.

Not just when we have everything figured out. Not just when we have a plan and know exactly what to do next. He is our help when the situation is frightening, when the answers are unclear, and when we have reached the limits of what we can do ourselves.

Sometimes trusting God means taking the next step even when we cannot see the whole path. Sometimes it means allowing our children to face challenges while remembering that we are not their only source of help. And sometimes it means admitting that we are scared, that we do not know what will happen, and that we need to trust God with the things we cannot control.

That does not mean we stop caring. It does not mean we stop supporting the people we love. It means we recognize that our love, as deep as it is, cannot do everything. God sees what we cannot see. He knows what we do not know. And we can ask Him to give us wisdom for our part while trusting Him with the parts that are beyond our reach.

I am still learning this lesson. I suspect it is one I will continue learning as long as I am a mom. No matter how old our children become, we want to protect them. We want to make life easier for them. But perhaps part of loving them well is learning when to step in, when to stand beside them, and when to place what we cannot fix into God’s hands.

So, if you are carrying a worry today, especially a worry about someone you love, take a breath. You do not have to solve the entire situation today. You can do what is yours to do, offer the love and support you can give, and remember where your strength comes from.

A little conversation over coffee: Are you someone who immediately tries to fix a problem when someone you love is struggling, or is it easier for you to step back and trust God with the outcome? I would love to hear how you handle those moments. Sometimes sharing what we are learning can encourage someone else who is walking through the same thing.

Until tomorrow… remember that even when you cannot fix what is happening around you, you can trust the One who sees the whole picture. Keep your coffee warm, your heart open, and your eyes on Him. ☕💗