I was sitting in Masjid al-Nabawi years ago, overwhelmed. And then I saw an older woman slowly, painfully walking towards the jugs of zamzam water. She must have been in her eighties and she walked with such labor, as if it was physically difficult for her every step.

I saw her take a cup and put her hand in the blessed water. She took out the water and began rubbing it all over one eye. As I looked more closely, I realized that her eye looked like it was in great pain. Then she sat, facing the qiblah, holding up her hands and crying as she made duaa. At first, it broke my heart to see her pain.

But then, instead of being overwhelmed by her pain or continuing to focus on my own, I feel hope. Here was a woman, physically struggling to come to Allah, pouring her hopes in His ability to cure her, weeping to Him with what seemed like certainty that her duaa would be answered and she would be cured of the pain in her eye. She wasn't emanating despair. She was emanating certainty in Him.

If someone so much older, in so much pain, could have that much hope, make that much effort, then what about me? What about placing my own burdens out of my own hands and fervently speaking them to God? What about physically struggling to make sure my body gets up and focuses in prayer, just as she physically struggled to walk in the masjid and pray to Him? What about working on my own heart to ensure my tears can flow out of love for Him, hope in Him, fear of displeasing Him, just as she did?

I turned away from the woman's private moment with her Lord, but I have no doubt He gave her relief-- just as He gave me relief from the burden of carrying my pain alone.
You aren't alone even in your darkest moments, even when you're physically in pain, emotionally crippled, your heart numb. Remember- He is with you just as He was with her:

"I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him/her when he/she makes mention of Me. If he/she makes mention of Me to him/hereslf, I make mention of him/her to Myself; and if he/she makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him/her in an assembly better than it. And if he/she draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him/her a fathom's length. And if he/she comes to Me walking, I go to him/her at speed." [Hadith Qudsi]
--Maraym Amir

Subhanallah how Loving is Allah SWT. He just sees our efforts and intentions. May Allah grant us all the best in both the worlds.

♡❤TRUST IN ALLAH ❤♡