A few days ago, I went grocery shopping. Not seemingly a monumental occasion. But for someone who hasn’t been able to go for months, it was a pretty big deal!
After I came home, I shared with Brad how awesome it was just to be in a store. Just to wander through the aisles and browse through all the choices… I wanted to buy everything I saw and stock up our pantry.
Thankfully, I maintained some self-control and didn’t drain the bank account – but I sure could have…
That small trip to the grocery store was something that resembled my life before my back problems. It was a life in which I accomplished tasks and felt productive. A life that felt easy and comfortable. It has been so long since I have had those feelings – so long since I have been able to do the normal things I used to take for granted.
My goal is to never do that again.
Assume nothing…
It is so easy to just assume that everything will always be the same. The day-to-day normal things we do will continue as they have… Everything will always work… Whatever or whoever will always be there…
Until they stop. Or it doesn’t. Or they aren’t.
If you don’t know what I mean, try turning on your lights when the electricity goes out. I can’t tell you how many times during a power outage I have flipped a switch expecting light, and nothing…
Just think of all the things we do every day that we don’t think twice about. It doesn’t really matter how they all fit together. The whole picture – that’s our normal.
We know what we need, so we do it. Our actions have produced the same results over and over, and there isn’t ever a second thought about whether there would ever be a different outcome. We are creatures of habit. Because that is our normal. It feels good and comfortable. We know what to expect.
And, because we know what is coming, and it is our normal, we learn to appreciate it. So, when something comes along that changes our routines and messes with our normalcy, it can be really hard to be grateful for those differences.
Enjoy prosperity whenever you can, and when hard times strike, realize that God gives one as well as the other – so that everyone will realize that nothing is certain in this life. Ecclesiastes 7:14 LAB
I wasn’t enjoying and appreciating the good times when I had them. After all, who thinks about such things when everything is working normally? But, now that some things have changed? Boy, do I ever realize now how uncertain it all is.
Gratitude?
I had never really thought about my normal being affected so drastically. But, my body decided it was going to change my typical way of doing things. For example, if I dropped something on the floor, my first instinct, of course, was to bend down and pick it up. But my back just wouldn’t let me. It simply didn’t work. There were so many times I expected it to – after all, that’s what I had done for many years – but, nothing…
So, for me to even accept that my normal was being altered was super difficult. Then, to come up with ways to be grateful?? That was almost impossible. It was a really rough period of time. Thankfully, I found some encouraging verses and have an amazing family and brothers and sisters from church who helped me through.
But, boy were there were a lot of abnormal things going on in my life.
Even now, after surgery, I am in a brace. My back still doesn’t work fully, but I at least am able to walk. And, for that advance towards normalcy, I am more grateful than you could ever imagine.
And, there is a huge lesson in that.
No matter what.
I forgot that part. In Grateful for Gratitude, I wrote about Paul’s instructions in 1 Thessalonians –
No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 LAB
I wrote about that verse in April. Funny how in less than a year, I forgot. I chose to not be thankful for every situation and to be grateful for everything that was happening in my life.
For me, it’s not just about getting my life back to how it was before I couldn’t bend or even walk. It’s about truly not taking anything for granted. Maybe this experience has been a way of showing me all of the ways I was being ungrateful. Both in what I had thought was the mundane and normal, and in my broken state.
No matter what happens… In every situation we should be able to find something to be grateful for. Paul also tells us what we should be focusing on
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV
Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable… That’s convicting. I definitely wasn’t focusing on those things.
What I learned and am still learning
Just be grateful – no matter what.
Truly, there is no such thing as normal. It is just a phase. One normal morphs into the next normal. Some are just easier or harder than others, but it’s all part of God helping us grow into the person He knows we can be.
For when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So, let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. James 1:3-4 LAB
If for no other reason than knowing everything I go through is of God, and it all works towards helping me, then how can I not be grateful for everything?
And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into His plans. Romans 8:28 LAB
So, I will find reasons to be thankful in all my grocery trips, and in all the normal things that may happen in my life. I’m beginning to see that normal is all about perception and perspective. No one will ever have the same definition as anyone else. But, for me, I’m learning to appreciate and be thankful for all variations that I get to experience – and I’m not going to take any of it for granted – ever again.
Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 LAB
Your Thoughts?
There are so many variations of normal in all our lives. What helps you focus on the positives and reasons to show gratitude when you are having a rough period? What verses have you found that have helped you redirect your focus as Paul instructs in Philippians? I would love to hear your story and what has worked for you. I can’t wait to hear from all of you!
