02/11/25 IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY

02/11/25 IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY

I often try to encourage people to either improve their health and physical condition, or to at least maintain their fitness. I also recognize that situations can affect our physical condition, such as injury, sickness, age, or a combination of the three.

There are folks who will not get better until they go to be with the Lord. A restricted life interferes with our activities, relationships, responsibilities and opportunities. For believers there is the added burden of not being able to do the service, the ministries we have been doing in life. Other folks need to understand this and they need to take care in helping the believer deal with their limited abilities.

Being restricted, limited, disabled in one way does not always mean we are unable to adapt. There are other things to do, which are high priority opportunities, such as: more time in prayer; more time to reflect and share your memories, lessons, insights, words of kindness; more time for getting rest and recuperation, without guilt.

At some point you may be totally incapacitated physically. God is still with you. God still has control. God does all things well and all things work together for good to those who love the Lord.

For those who are still well and active, be sensitive, be supportive, be encouraging, be patient, be responsive, be attentive. Remember, when the body is unable to do what it use to do, the mind can still be very active, alert and aware. We treat others with love, kindness, and dignity, whether they are active, disabled or totally unresponsive because it is the Christ-like thing to do. We love others because God loves them. We care for others because it is the Christian thing to do.

Jesus extended love and hope (in His Own time of suffering) to the thief on the cross. We should be ready to extend ourselves for the suffering and the weak and certainly available to those who have spent their lives caring for us and others.