Lessons Learned from the Best/Worst Time of Life

Health is holistic – there are many elements that make up the self: physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, etc. I don’t understand it all, but that’s A-OK. 

A combination of stressors/changes when not dealt with when needed can lead to burnout where your capacity to continue on literally seems impossible and knocks you off your feet... We can compare it to the hilarious illustration (or not so hilarious, depending on your sense of humor as well as what follows) of a deer caught in the headlights who forgets to think and just stands there instead of running, or of a computer that’s on overload, trying to do too many things at once for its system to function properly and it freezes and shuts down.

There were many unknowns in my health as I got extremely drained of all energy, and could hardly function, and could not continue with my job, but here are the knowns/truths I’m learning in the midst of coming back home*:

*warning: my life only exhibits these things in an extremely small, minute measure right now, but I be pressing on for them! Step by step.

-Seasons of change are beautiful, no matter how hard, because beauty is seen all around us in creation and in every person before us.

-Life can be hard because we witness much suffering, but we are extremely and abundantly blessed in the midst of it because we have a Loving Creator who is for our wellbeing and the wellbeing of others, and who has already made us into More Than Conquerors and gives us the grace needed at just the right time to patiently and cheerfully endure the task set before us.   

-We cannot do ALL of the things at once! Multi-tasking has a limit. Balance is a thing. Indeed it is. It is a process, but it WILL be learned when we focus on the task in front of us. 

-It’s not about me – though I need time to rest and recover – God can continue the work that needs to be done in the times that I need to rest because He’s got the whole world in His hands. Literally. Figuratively. Metaphorically. He is a Father to the Fatherless, Defender of the Weak, Rescuer of orphans and widows in their distress, the God who Sees all and responds to the cries of His children (who are the crowning glory of His creation), He is the Bringer of Justice and the Extender of Mercy. He is relentless to gain the hearts of those who He formed in their mother’s womb because nothing can stop the love of God from piercing the hearts of those He loves and who love Him in return.

-God is Love, Sovereign, Good, Healer, Restorer, Redeemer, Faithful, True, Perfect in all His ways, our All in All, and is so much more committed to restoration than we could ever be! Provision is made for the impossible for those who believe.

-God is Sovereign over circumstances, over finances, over health, over ISIS, over governments, over nations, and He even has the power to use what is meant for evil for good because He is the most Compassionate and Merciful being in the universe, and He desires to see everything restored fully in the perfect time and way. He can control what we cannot; we can control how we use our time and the meditations of our heart.

-We are promised and given love, joy, peace, and righteousness in the Holy Spirit, even through suffering, because the promises of God are true and He cannot lie, so we can say “yes” and “amen”.

-Health, wealth, and prosperity are NOT the primary things in life: doing every good work out of love, as we are able, where we are, with the time and resources given us, is the most important thing in life.

-Godliness with contentment IS great gain and in His presence IS fullness of joy, which can be found through all of the daily tasks and demands of life as we give what little we can and trust God to fill us with the strength needed to continue on in excellence to what He calls us to.

-Sickness and confusion are NOT of God, and should not be accepted, but even pain can be redeemed into beauty when we remain established in the place of love and faith, speaking life to dry bones, as we are able.

-Nothing can stop the call of God on the life of one who is committed to His will being done in the nations because God gives grace to the weary and He equips the called with everything needed for life and godliness.

-In hindsight, life is really funny and there is so so so much to be thankful for, as we know that each day will get better and better, even in weakness: dare I say, even more so in weakness. Freedom is found in laying down our rights, picking up our cross, and following the King who is worthy of it all.

-Lastly, Jesus is the most Stoic man I’ve ever met, and He’s worth getting deeply acquainted with. :)