Not By Sight

Everything about the times we live in builds us up for the expectation of instant results, instant diagnosis, instant reliable treatment and instant cures.  And the reality is that even in today's modern medicine there is trial and error and the pathway to effective treatment may not be a straight and narrow one.

And the anticipation and the wait for answers can be a frightening experience that can shift our focus from what really matters in life.  Sometimes I almost feel that it would be best if we didn't know everything in a treatment plan.  I say this because in some cases we know too much, and we expect we have complete control of the treatment process.

I was thankful in some respects that very early on in my treatment my doctor took my family aside privately and told them it would be two years before I would be able to handle the classroom again.  If I was given this information directly, I would have been shattered, I would have lost hope in the process and I would not have been able to manage the day to day aspect of my care.  That reality check would have crushed me under the realization that my goal was too far away.

But when we hurt, we're hungry for answers, and we have a vision for what we want life to be and should be, but in that moment we are in pain and no one seems to know why.  My encouragement is simply this: from day one till the day when the plan is over, don't give up on the process.  Maybe you can't nail down what is causing your pain or what is driving your fears, what is the root of your depression or moods swings.  Maybe your current doesn't even know the root of these issues.  But God does.

God has the solution, he has made provision for your healing.  Just because you cannot work today, or cannot go to school today, maybe you have to take your children to daycare because you are not well enough to take care of them yourself--this is not your permanent situation.  Mental illness can strip you of a lot of things, it can rob you of hope, it can steal your joy and it can strain your relationships.

My message is simply this:don't give up the fight.  Answers are coming, better days where clarity is the norm rather than the exception.  You will find momentum.  God knows you right where you are at, solutions are surfacing within you. No matter what frustration you are feeling right now, no matter the distractions or emptiness, there are better days, healing and a bright future in store for you. You will step out with fresh vision and achieve freedom and joy you will make and achieve new goals, and realize old dreams.

Some might say believing in a bright future, that dreaming of a life not defined by mental illness is a fantasy, that it just won't happen, and you are stuck right where you are at.  Having a faith in yourself is something you do, even when you cannot see results right now.

Trusting God now has nothing to do with how we got to our current circumstances or current health issues.  It has everything to do with trusting the one who created us, who is the source of all wisdom and still has a perfect plan for your life.  As much as I can write this message I have many times struggled with trusting God in certain areas of my life.  And its something I have to work at daily.  Sometimes it easy to believe that we in our own logic and understanding have all the issues and have the only perspective on our life. 

Yes we live in broken bodies with fragile minds and the healing process can at times be a day to day struggle.  But when we trust in the process, we can experience healing, especially when we open ourselves up to God and His wisdom for healing in our lives.  Our lives can be amazing.  Whether our healing comes today or someday in the future we can be assured that God is close by, He is the creator of our lives, our faith and our wholeness.  He loves to hear from you..

Thank You readers!