Have you ever thought about being thankful for the bad things that happened in your life?
Over the Thanksgiving holiday I thought about all the amazing things that happened to me over the past 3 years since I became sick. Would these same blessings occurred if I remained healthy? I cannot answer that, but it is amazing to look back at our lives and see how various situations shaped us, and led us to where we are today.
Before I excepted my sickness as part of my “new life” I heard a song by Laura Story, called Blessings. One line that in that song states, “what if the trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?” This seems hard to fathom, that the bad things that happen (trials) could in fact be blessings (good things) in disguise. However, now 3 years into my illness, and only slightly better, I can honestly see how this event has changed me into a better version of myself.
Prior to becoming sick, I remember how proud I was of getting in shape and losing weight. I was determined that when I reached 40 years old I would be in the best shape of my life and run a 5k in under 20 minutes. I was well on my way to achieving this goal, that was, until I got sick.
Sickness humbled me, and reminded me that there is more to life than selfish ambitions. As a Christian, I know there is a difference between being in control of your own life and living a surrendered life. In hindsight, I can see that I was only relying on my own abilities, and by doing this I was limiting my potential and missing the blessings that I was meant to experience.
Sadly, I am still selfish and I tend to seek control, but I am slowly gaining wisdom and learning to cherish what I have, and appreciate what I have experienced. Life is full of highs and lows. I am certain I am not alone, and that you have experienced great pains, and hopefully great joys. I pray that you learn to accept that past as a necessary part of your journey, and that you move forward and make the most of every opportunity.
Wishing you all the best,
my blog 