How do these two things relate, you ask? I've been wondering the same thing myself over the last week (since I broke my foot a week ago today). It has been a goal of mine to not complain or gripe while having to wear this lovely boot, and I'd say that I've done fairly well at not voicing my opinions out loud, but internally...well, that's a whole other story.
Let me backtrack to my blog title here though. For much of my Christian walk I have become convinced that everything happens for a reason. Whether it's because the Lord wants to teach us something about ourselves, about Him, about the people around us, etc. This "philosophy" has helped me especially during hard times because it reminds me that there is a purpose to the madness in my life. So why a broken foot? What can I possibly learn from this?
By and large, it is in my nature to complain and look at the negative side of things and this experience is no exception. "This boot is heavy and cumbersome." "I stand crooked." "My good foot hurts more than the other one because it's bearing most of my weight." "I feel limited and slowed down, like it takes me twice as long to do anything." "I feel like a burden to others."
Aha! I think it's those last two that are really key. I feel limited. Aside from my diabetes, I have always been a physically healthy person. I may not be the most active person on the planet, but I've never had issues getting around places. I can often find ways to get into places most people can't because of the lack of physical limitation and a "can-do" attitude. Now I have to take stairs one at a time. I can't walk as fast as I'm accustomed. Everything is just too slow and that wears on my own patience, plus I feel like I slow everyone else down. Which leads to feeling like a burden. I know that this is a lie. I am not a burden to anyone. I think that because I am so accustomed to being self-sufficient and to serving others, it's difficult for me to let other people serve me. It's not that I don't appreciate it, because I do, more than I can express, but the idea of somebody else doing something that I could normally do is almost humiliating to me.
So how can I turn this into a positive experience? I have to live with the boot for potentially another 5 weeks even though I'm ready to be rid of it now and right now, that 5 weeks seems like an eternity to me. But I need to make the best of the situation.
1. Perhaps explore more reasons as to why it's hard for me to let others take care of me. Is there an issue of pride I need to deal with?
2. Don't get discouraged when I need to take things more slowly. Typically there is no reason to be in a huge hurry.
3. Be thankful that it is only 5 more weeks and not something that I will have to deal with for a lifetime.
4. Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Especially when I'm feeling extra-annoyed with the boot and want to complain about it even in my head.
Only 5 more weeks. Maybe I'll create one of those paper chain thingies and count down until the final day and have a party when I'm officially out of this thing. Which actually leads me to rather strange parallel. (I apologize for my rambling; evidently this is what happens when I don't blog very often) Bear with me here on the analogy; if it doesn't make sense to you that's ok, it makes sense to me. Getting the boot off will be like the return of Christ. Being confined or limited by the boot is much like trying to live the Christian life in this world. We are confined, we are limited by several things including sin. We long for our home in heaven; to be with our God forever. We can't wait to get there. Things would be so much easier if Jesus would just come back now and set up His Kingdom on earth. We want to be completely free. But there are things that have to be done here and now and God has created us for this time and this place for a purpose: to glorify Him and to make His Name known throughout the world. The boot, for me, represents the limitations I place on myself that keep me from doing the things that God wants me to do. And until I can cast it (the boot/sin) aside, I am never truly free. And as much as we all can depend on the Holy Spirit to set us free from sin, we will still battle with it until the return of Christ. And that is something we can truly celebrate!!
Hi Tiffany, I didn't know your broke your foot! How did it happen? We're you on crutches at first? A year ago I broke the sesamoid bone in my foot and was on crutches for 7 LONG weeks and then a walking boot for another 2 weeks, so I can totally relate to what you wrote!!! After all of that my bone never even healed, so I was in constant pain for another 6 months. I didn't want to do surgery on it as there was no guarantee that I'd be pain free. I tried acupuncture but what ultimately helped the pain to go away was to eliminate sugar from my diet. I've been pain free ever since. At the time I had totally wondered what God was trying to teach me through all of that and now I can honestly thank Him for the things he taught me during that time. He has an interesting way of getting our attention, doesn't He? I will be praying for quick healing for you! Are you
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