Talking about self-pity in the previous devotion made me think of two things. First, it made me think of people who have everything yet accomplish nothing and at the same time, people who have nothing and yet accomplish everything! I feel like it is all a matter of perspective. We could all wallow in some sort of self-pity about something in our life! That is part of life on this earth; there are good times and there are bad.
Secondly, it made me think about times in my life when God had to shake me and remind me to get over myself and my “poor me” mindset. I remember when I went from running 12 miles a week and working out for 3-4 hours a week to nothing due to knee surgeries. I remember the frustration that came with my inability to do exercise, which I love! About 4 years after my second surgery, I remember telling my husband that I couldn’t do anything and that everything hurt my knee. I remember telling him that at the age of 23, I had the knees of an 80 year old. I remember the frustration that came with gaining weight. I even remember the frustration that came from living 15 minutes from town, felling as thought everything that was once simple was now a major obstacle. Then one day, God showed me a hill that has been outside my door the whole time I was going through my knee problems. The hill was a way to loose weight, tone back up, relieve stress, and get outside. And yes, at times it hurt my knee because that was part of my knee becoming stronger and healing. The hill that I am referring to had been outside my house for the past 6 years but at that time, I couldn’t see it. I couldn’t see it because I was too focused on poor me! Since then, I have done things that I would have never tried with my knees 5 years ago. I was also reminded that if I lay down and let the devil walk all over me, then he will walk all over me as I lay down.
If I could say anything to anyone, it would be to find your hill. I never thought about using that hill as a solution to my problem. Now, I love it! I don’t bike it daily or even weekly but on a beautiful day when I want to get outside, it is there waiting for me! Find your hill! It is there!
Traci
