Too Big to Cry
By Pastor Jerry A. Burns
In 1858, the Illinois legislature sent Stephen A. Douglas to the U.S. Senate instead of Abraham Lincoln—even though Lincoln had won the popular vote. It was a bitter disappointment. When a friend asked him how he felt, Lincoln replied, “Like the boy who stubbed his toe: I am too big to cry and too badly hurt to laugh.” It was an honest answer. He didn’t pretend it didn’t hurt. He didn’t explode in anger. He simply acknowledged the pain.
There are moments in life when we feel exactly that way. Too mature to throw a fit. Too wounded to shrug it off. A promotion goes to someone else. A ministry opportunity closes. A decision feels unfair. The toe is stubbed, and it throbs. In those moments, we are tempted to defend ourselves, to fight back, or to grow bitter. But Lincoln’s quiet restraint reminds us that dignity under disappointment is a mark of strength.
What Lincoln did not yet know was that this loss was preparing him for something far greater. The setback of 1858 paved the way for 1860. God often uses rejection to redirect us. When we trust Him instead of retaliating, we leave room for His sovereign plan to unfold. The wound may be real, but so is His purpose. Sometimes we are “too big to cry,” but we are never too big to trust.
When you experience unfairness or disappointment, resist the urge to react in bitterness. Bring your hurt to the Lord, and allow Him to handle what you cannot control. Trust that today’s setback may be setting the stage for tomorrow’s calling.
"The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; And all the upright in heart shall glory." — Psalm 64:10
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This Week's Radio Program
Week Eighteen • May 3, 2026
Trusting God With Tomorrow (Pt. 3)
In this final part of the message, “Trusting God with Tomorrow,” we are brought face to face with a powerful truth from Scripture—while we often plan our days and assume the future, the Bible teaches us that life is fragile, uncertain, and completely in God’s hands. As James reminds us, our life is “even a vapour” that appears for a little time and then vanishes away . The issue is not planning, but planning without God—living as though we are in control of what only God knows.
This message walks through the heart of biblical trust: having a proper perspective of tomorrow, a humble posture before God today, and a surrendered plan that says, “If the Lord will.” Whether facing uncertainty, fear, or the illusion of control, we are called to draw near to God, rest in His care, and trust that His will is good, even when tomorrow is unknown. Because Christ has risen, our future is secure—not in our plans, but in His perfect hands.
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