Thankful for Shingles?

Nov 26 2015 Thankful for Shingles?

Furiously working on a talk for a women’s retreat, I felt a weird sensation on my neck. The retreat was sixteen days away, and I would present five messages. This was talk number three. I loved the content: recharging through prayer, getting away, recharging by silence and stillness. Ahhh.

The next day, after returning from a walk, I noticed a red spot underneath my baseball cap. I thought it might be staph (going around my son’s football team), so I visited the doctor. Shingles was  diagnosed. Shingles? I’m not old enough. Evidently I am.

Praying as I drove home from the doctor, it occurred to me that this bout of Shingles was most likely caused by stress and my lagging immune system. 

This fall has been crazy—nonstop. My spiritual cup has runneth almost empty. The excellent content I was focusing on for the upcoming retreat had become virtually nonexistent for me. Ironically, I was barely praying or still in God’s presence. Instead, I was running around like a crazy woman. I wasn’t getting enough sleep and had an obnoxiously long “to-do” list.

I am usually intentional about this—remaining balanced and purposeful with my days, saying “no” sometimes, and wanting to live deeply instead of wide. But this Fall, I let myself get spread too thin and pulled myself wide—so wide that it landed me in Shinglesville.

Yet, when I look back on this last month, I am filled with immense gratitude. Yes, having Shingles is painful and draining, and it stinks! But God and His mercy met me there in my need. 

~He met me through the prayers and generosity of friends and family. A few sweet girlfriends brought meals, and others regularly checked in on me.

~He met me in my rest. There was time to read His word and to pray for my people. I could recharge my spiritual battery so that my cup hath runneth over instead of empty.

~He met me as I assessed my schedule and contemplated what I could have done differently. He filled me with His peace, strength, wisdom, and GRACE.

We all have many, many reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving week. None of us have to look vigorously to find good things.

But what about the hardships? Is there a challenge in your life today that downright stinks? A situation or someone? Is God whispering to you? Maybe He’s inviting you to look at this difficulty differently. Can you find something there for which you are thankful?     

God met me as He always always does. Because of Him, I can say, “I am thankful for Shingles.”

“Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity.”                                                                                    Sarah Young