January 7
For God did not gave us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self control. 2 Timothy 1:7
Being a multi-task person has always been one of my greatest strengths. That ability to do more than one thing at a time and do it well seemed to come naturally for me. I could run circles around most of the people I worked with, at the same time caring for a family and home. Addressing issues with my staff was easy for I genuinely cared about them. But with that being said, it took an element of self-discipline for me to take a step back and evaluate a situation carefully before taking any necessary action. I gained so much from them and my patients in the facility I was director in, and how I loved it! At the time it seemed that this passage applied directly to my life.
Then my health took a turn. My life turned upside-down and became one of pain, suffering, surgeries and procedures and untold limitations. As my abilities diminished so did my self-esteem, leaving me feeling “timid” and unconfident in many situations; particularly when I couldn’t get out of my own way. It was difficult to see clearly while in so much pain. My spirit seemed to be assailed from all sides. Although I called to God in prayer through it all, there were times I could not feel His nearness, and despite the love of those around me, felt the loneliness that suffering evokes. The pain continued. The restrictions continued. I began to think it would never end; I would never be the same.
It is true; I will never be the same. As with all life changing events we all go through, we are altered; but we grow in some way, although at the time it may seem there is absolutely no growth whatsoever! Then through God’s constant presence, we are able to begin to grasp in some small way that the alteration has enriched us; and once that awareness comes upon us, our perspective changes. We begin to see things around us that were unrecognizable before, and our appreciation deepens. Gratitude fills us for the people in our lives who have faithfully ministered to us - heaven sent in an effort to make us whole again in one way or the other - each one adding a dimension to our lives that is essential to our well being. Many of these people expressed to me that this experience added something special to their lives as well! What an understanding I came to about the saying that it is easier to give than to receive!
All healing takes time, it takes self-discipline and patience, and a lot of effort on our part; and the healing we seek may not be complete in the way we hoped for. But when we allow the love that surrounds us to empower us, it enables our faith and hope to grow. We recognize God’s face in our loved ones – in all people - and in the new place we are in. By the grace of God, no longer are we timid in our circumstances, but filled with an inner strength, and a spirit that is overflowing.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the people you have placed in our lives! Their presence has enriched us in unimaginable ways, renewing us physically and spiritually!
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
For God did not gave us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self control. 2 Timothy 1:7
Being a multi-task person has always been one of my greatest strengths. That ability to do more than one thing at a time and do it well seemed to come naturally for me. I could run circles around most of the people I worked with, at the same time caring for a family and home. Addressing issues with my staff was easy for I genuinely cared about them. But with that being said, it took an element of self-discipline for me to take a step back and evaluate a situation carefully before taking any necessary action. I gained so much from them and my patients in the facility I was director in, and how I loved it! At the time it seemed that this passage applied directly to my life.
Then my health took a turn. My life turned upside-down and became one of pain, suffering, surgeries and procedures and untold limitations. As my abilities diminished so did my self-esteem, leaving me feeling “timid” and unconfident in many situations; particularly when I couldn’t get out of my own way. It was difficult to see clearly while in so much pain. My spirit seemed to be assailed from all sides. Although I called to God in prayer through it all, there were times I could not feel His nearness, and despite the love of those around me, felt the loneliness that suffering evokes. The pain continued. The restrictions continued. I began to think it would never end; I would never be the same.
It is true; I will never be the same. As with all life changing events we all go through, we are altered; but we grow in some way, although at the time it may seem there is absolutely no growth whatsoever! Then through God’s constant presence, we are able to begin to grasp in some small way that the alteration has enriched us; and once that awareness comes upon us, our perspective changes. We begin to see things around us that were unrecognizable before, and our appreciation deepens. Gratitude fills us for the people in our lives who have faithfully ministered to us - heaven sent in an effort to make us whole again in one way or the other - each one adding a dimension to our lives that is essential to our well being. Many of these people expressed to me that this experience added something special to their lives as well! What an understanding I came to about the saying that it is easier to give than to receive!
All healing takes time, it takes self-discipline and patience, and a lot of effort on our part; and the healing we seek may not be complete in the way we hoped for. But when we allow the love that surrounds us to empower us, it enables our faith and hope to grow. We recognize God’s face in our loved ones – in all people - and in the new place we are in. By the grace of God, no longer are we timid in our circumstances, but filled with an inner strength, and a spirit that is overflowing.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the people you have placed in our lives! Their presence has enriched us in unimaginable ways, renewing us physically and spiritually!
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson