Thursday, January 14, 2010

Sharing in Other's Joy

As I explore how to have a good attitude while in pain I am reminded that a big area that we often miss if our eyes are focused on our own pain is the joy of others! So often there is great joy that others want us to share in, but how sad if we miss that because of self-pity, or regretting what can never be.

I just read the miraculous description of the birth of my nephew. What an incredible experience it must be to bring a baby into the world. An experience that I will never have. I have the choice to be resentful of my health, of God, of choices that I felt I had to make, OR I can choose to rejoice in the beautiful life of this little baby boy and embrace him with all the love God has put in my heart for children. I am not saying that the things I have lost because of my health are not to be grieved. I will probably mourn the loss of many things all my life - but healthy grief, and despair and resentment are totally different things. I mourn what effects of this fallen world I will live with - I mourn the things that I wanted so badly that cannot happen because of my health. BUT I am determined to not let the pain of things which are out of my control ruin my joy at such a miracle of new life. I will not resent those who have what I cannot have. I choose to love and live and enjoy.

Life is like that - we don't all get the same joys and sorrows - and it would be so silly to compare as if it were a race of who gets the biggest joys! There are amazing blessings which I have been given and for those I will thank God daily. For the sorrows I will not deny the pain, but I will not let the pain make me bitter. Life is far too short for bitterness.

No comments:

Post a Comment