Every time I become sick, the irrational thought always enters my mind that any kind of physical suffering other than the one I'm experiencing is tolerable: "If only I had a stomachache instead of a headache!" "I don't mind a sore throat, but throwing up every half hour is not fun!"
Generally, illness is an excuse for me to focus on myself. Maybe it's that I can't help in the kitchen without infecting my family, or perhaps I'm not strong enough to get up and get a Popsicle myself, so I'll ask my siblings to get one for me.
But that's never a good thing for me, spiritually, to turn inward because I'm physically ill (or because I'm suffering for some other reason).
Even in physical illness, I can find a way to serve those around me. I can even serve them in ways that are healthy for me.
Maybe I can't help in the kitchen, but I can knit a gift for a friend who's experiencing lots of loss. Maybe I don't want to get up and get my own Popsicle, but I can choose to read to my little brother instead of telling him to go play on his own because I'm busy.
And when I am alone, I can pray. I can pray as I knit, I can pray as I hear emergency sirens, or when there's a situation I encounter that I can't just change, like seeing someone I can't do anything to comfort crying.
Quick confession: These are all ways, looking back, I should have acted (because I've caught the lovely stomach bug going around and I've been couch-bound the last three days). Sometimes, I chose to serve God and those around me, but often, I didn't. It's a struggle.
Strangely enough, I've found the struggle easier in this illness than I've found it in health, or most of my other illnesses. Or at least, I've had fewer distractions, and no energy to even think. So I'm limited to doing and choosing. The struggle is as simple as, "Am I going to love right now, or not?"
So today, I thank God for this chance to catch up on sleep, but more importantly, the chance to grow closer to Him and re-focus myself on the daily struggle right in front of me.
Even if I don't enjoy being sick very much!
Let's give glory to God for all things!
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Thoughts I Have
Non-FictionNot much, just a little collection of my thoughts... Just so you are aware, my thoughts revolve around things such as Christianity, values, piano, occasionally swimming, and many other things. I made this for personal reference :)
