What was it that changed the path of your life? Was it the diagnosis of your illness? Have you experienced other losses as a result of your illness? Loss of a job? Divorce? Forced relocation? What about life events you have no control over at all, like the death of a loved one?
It can happen in a moment. Everything you had planned and worked toward can be over. Just. Like. That.
It happens to the majority of us. Sometimes multiple times throughout life.
#Chronicillness can change the course of your life in a moment. Just. Like. ThatMy next question for you is are you still stuck there? When that wall was put in your path did you stop dead in your tracks and stand there staring at this new obstacle?
I did. For years. It can seem like a prison. So what do you do when life throws away your plans and you find yourself locked in a different situation?
In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, the prophet wrote a letter to a group of Israelites that were being held in Babylon. They weren’t able to go home. Life as they knew it stopped. Everything changed. All their plans and dreams they once held dear in their homeland were over.
I was pulled into my Babylon through a few different circumstances. I guess not really pulled. More like pushed and then drug kicking and screaming. I’ll share more of those stories another time. This is about the other side of those roadblocks.
Jeremiah gave the people some guidelines on how they were to live while they were being held in exile. Guess what! He didn’t tell them it was ok to sit and pout and give up. He didn’t say to stand there with their nose to the wall that was now blocking their path.
He told them to live! He told them to build houses and settle down. Plant their gardens and eat the harvest. Continue their families by having children and grandchildren.
Here’s the toughest part. He also told them to pray for the nation that was holding them captive. Pray and seek after the prosperity of the land they were in because they’d benefit from it also!
So how does that translate to us? What do you do when a chronic illness changes the course of your life?
When we find ourselves in these life-altering situations we need to remember to live life. We need to continue with the day to day routines that are manageable, even if the way we tackle these jobs now looks drastically different. Be sure we’re eating healthy food and nourishing our close relationships.
What about praying for the situations we find ourselves in? If you find yourself faced with an illness I think building a support community is a great idea. (Like here for instance!) We can uplift each other. Learn about our illness. Join support groups. Pray for one another and advancement in research.
