On the cusp of experiencing full recovery from my injuries of this past spring, I now find myself having to deal with a completelydifferent kind of physical ailment. It’s not deadly, though it can lead toissues that increase the risk of infection and illness. It’s not disabling,though it definitely degrades the quality of one’s life.

It’s an issue that most neurodivergent people and mostpostmenopausal women face. Both groups seem to more or less be told, “You can’tdo anything about it, so learn to live with it.”

I’m talking about digestive problems.

I’m going to shelve that for a few moments, as that’s notthe point of this article. The point is, last year, I had a molar removed toget rid of a chronic infection. Two weeks later, I fell hard onto my left ribcage. I had just recovered from that when I tried a dance move that tore my right gluteus maximus... a week before a scheduled road trip. This year, I experienced a sequence of not-major-but-tricky injuries, oneafter the other, debilitating me for months.

Now, my husband is having to work out with his brother whatto do with their father, who is showing obvious signs of dementia. That’s righton the heels of my mother having a heart attack and needing stents put into herarteries.

And all along, I haven’t been able to properly digeststarches, avocado, or herbs and herbal supplements for years. Recently, my bodybegan to rebel against certain fruits I used to have no trouble with, such asmango and pineapple.

Fifteen years ago, Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegicwho ministers the love of Yeshua to disabled people, received a diagnosis ofbreast cancer. Her dizzying response as she was processing the shock was, “Godis up to something.”

The first time I heard this, I stiffened with righteousindignation. God didn’t put cancer on people to teach them a lesson! She gotthe cancer because she was eating the wrong foods and/or showering withchlorinated water!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I knew it all back when I was forty.

And if age hadn’t wisened me up, I would be thrusting a fistand a mouthful of curses to heaven every day. “Why me? Do You hate me? Whathave I done to deserve this?”

I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t had my moments. Butwith hindsight, I think it’s safe to say that God is up to something.

Right now, I’m only fifty-five years old. This is a greattime to learn how to slow down and take care of both my mental and physicalhealth. It’s not the most optimum time to go through healing of physicalinjuries, but I can’t blame God. He’s given me plenty of warnings and other,smaller lessons to get me to be more careful, to live a quieter life, but Ididn’t listen.

Now, after this nightmare of a spring – of the past fewyears, really - I’m listening. And learning.

Because when I’m seventy, my body will heal even moreslowly. And stress will have an even greater impact on my psyche. My learningto slow down now ensures less risk of hurting myself when I get older.

And walking with older parents through their difficulties?It’s an opportunity for growth, growth in our relationship with the Lord as welearn to cast our cares upon Him, growth in our own store of personal wisdom,growth in patience and compassion.

Back to my digestive problems: I’m having to face the hardtruth that a high percentage of them canbe alleviated if I would only do the work to take care of the root causesof the symptoms. And as I face that truth, I must lean against God even harder,depend upon His leading… and thank Him for this blessing in disguise.

Because it’s another opportunity to improve my quality oflife while I’m still relatively young. It’s an opportunity to learn whatcertain types of foods can cause certain problems (I’m talking about wholefoods, not junk!) when consumed in what is excess for my sensitive body. 

There’s an old saying that when life throws challenges yourway, you can choose to get better or bitter. You can choose to seek God andother people to help you overcome the challenges, or you can slog through themwith an attitude and come out the other side cynical, defeated, and angry atthe world.

You can dig into the well of resources within and without,determining to work toward victory, or you can give up before you even getstarted.

Silver lining, cloud. Half-full, half-empty.

The truth is, whatever you’re going through right now, Godcan use it for good. He can use it to give you a brighter future.

If only you’ll let Him.

(For more inspiring content like this, you can follow this blog if you have a Google account, bookmark this blog, follow my blog on Goodreads, and/or check out the books in the sidebar.)