An Encouraging Sermonette
We are pressed on every side by troubles but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. 2 Corinthians 4:8 (TLB)
The blue sky was breathtakingly gorgeous after the big storm on Sunday that dumped about 10-12” of snow in Tioga County. (It still has not yet melted, and it has been a few weeks.) I went to physical therapy that Wednesday feeling sorry for myself, achy from sub-zero temperatures, and I was definitely in a deep funk!
I usually enjoy going to PT to chat with the patients and even more to get to know the therapists. The workouts can be quite painful, but the therapists make it doable. But that Wednesday was a day that I would rather have stayed in bed and pulled the covers over my head, or read a good book, watched TV, eaten lots of chocolate—well, just about anything other than being stretched to the max.
Maybe my face gave it away, but I didn’t want to be there. It did not take Levi long to start with questions. He listened intently as I described my pity-party plans, my impatience, aches, and pains. When I was done, he began, “All healing starts between your ears!” He went on to explain how my emotional/mental state of mind guides the recovery process. I guess I’d never given it much thought until that session.
Fighting against the recuperation only slows everything down. This made me think about how I sometimes do this in my faith walk. When I don’t like what I’m being asked to do, I often have the same reaction as listed above—or I pretend I didn’t hear Him correctly. Either way, I’m not using positive thoughts to heighten my progress.
It all sounds so simple and it is! Sometimes it takes a little pain to get us motivated. Fortunately, Levi would not buy into my pity party. His encouraging words were like the blue sky in the picture above. Yes, there will be clouds, but I’m learning to look past them, remain positive and encourage others.
Thanks Levi!
Gracious God, thank You for those who dare speak truth into our lives. Help us to remain positive when the enemy tries to beat us down and steal our joy. Please give us strength to never give up. AMEN.
Photo: Michael Johnston