When God allows something difficult into our life, do we view it as a burden or blessing? As with many things in life, we might answer, it depends. But what would happen if we looked at everything God allows to reach us as a blessing, no matter what the cost? How might our perspective change?

Recently, I was diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear. Burden. After six weeks of physical therapy and an MRI, turns out it isn’t a tear. Blessing. The problem is autoimmune related. Burden. God’s in control. Blessing.

Maybe when the orthopedic doctor first told me I had a tear, I should have just skipped straight to remembering God is in control, and counted it a blessing. Maybe. But that’s not how I looked at it at the time.

As I shifted from thinking rotator cuff tear with a possible treatment plan, to yet one more autoimmune-caused ailment without one, I read a devotion in Streams in the Desert. I would like to share what J.R. Miller wrote with you. Perhaps after reading it, you will see the hard things God allows into your life as more of a blessing than a burden.

There is a fable about the way birds first got their wings. The story goes that initially they were made without them. Then God made the wings, set them down before the wingless birds, and said to them, “Take up these burdens and carry them.”

 

After hesitating a bit, the birds picked up the burdens, and set them on their shoulders to carry. For a short time the wings seemed heavy and difficult to bear. But as the birds carried the wings, folded over their heart, the wings grew attached to their bodies.

They quickly discovered how to use them and were lifted by the wings high into the air. The weights had become wings. 

J.R. Miller continued, “We look at our burdens and heavy loads, and try to run from them, but if we will carry them and tie them to our hearts, they will become wings.”

No matter how overwhelming, any burden God has lovingly placed with His own hands on our shoulders is a blessing. Frederick William Faber

How do you look at the difficult things God places in your life? Burden or blessing? I’m striving to slide my burden/blessing meter closer to the blessing end. Will you join me?

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Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

You can find my August Inspire a Fire post here. Please stop by and read it.

I wish you well.

Sandy

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