The Gratitude Project 1: Knowing God Loves Me

Last week, I talked about how the BAKER method has helped me develop an authentic, Christ-oriented attitude of gratitude. I also mentioned that I would be participating in Anni’s gratitude project. Today is my first official post.

This spring has been difficult for me. My struggles in controlling my type 1 diabetes surfaced again, and shortly after I started getting on track with that, I began experiencing some other health issues. In fact, I even jokingly tweeted about it.

chronic illness problems tweets

Towards mid-May, I hit a point where they symptoms were too much for me to handle. Last week, I finally got an answer: IBS.

You may be asking yourself what this has to do with gratitude. I don’t blame you; this post seems to be set up to complain rather than identify blessings. So, I’ll make my point: I am grateful God is getting me through this.

Despite this revelation that I have another chronic, incurable illness (though this one is more treatable), I found myself leaving the doctor’s office in pretty good spirits. While comparing IBS and type 1 diabetes isn’t entirely fair because they are two very different conditions, the link for me is that they are both health conditions that affect my life.

When I got diagnosed with diabetes, I questioned why God would let me suffer. Over the last two and a half years of having diabetes, I have seen how my relationship with God grows despite this huge challenge.

I am in a much better place spiritually, and because of that, I am able to take this bad news better. I am grateful that I got this news when I was in a place to spiritually handle it.

I know there are saints out there who rejoice in their suffering, and that witness is beautiful. I’m not there yet.

While I’m not out there throwing parties that my brain isn’t good at talking to my gut, I know that God will use this in some way. I never would’ve held that perspective a few years ago. I am grateful for the hope that God is giving me.

What is something you are grateful for?

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This post is part of The Gratitude Project. You can read more about it here. There are a number of ways you can get involved:

  • Find a way to intentionally express gratitude be it journaling, praying a daily examen, or something else
  • Share a gratitude moment on social media using #bctgp
  • On this post, you can share your gratitude moments in the comments.
  • You can write your own post about gratitude and link it in the comments below.
  • You can go to Anni’s blog, and in one of her blog posts about The Gratitude Project, you can share a gratitude moment or leave a link to your post in her post’s comment section.

 

 

 

 

Comments 6

  • I have been there a few times in my life! And, for me, it’s cyclical… every so often, I remind myself that God is getting me through – and, for that, I should be grateful.

    Thank you for linking back to my blog… I am so thrilled to see you joining in on this challenge!!

  • Thank you for being so open about incurable diseases. Way too many of us are silently suffering and it can be hard to find the positive. I love your entire spin on this!

    • Thank you for your kind words. It’s definitely hard to be positive at times, so I try to capture those positive moments.

  • “You may be asking yourself what this has to do with gratitude. I don’t blame you; this post seems to be set up to complain rather than identify blessings. So, I’ll make my point: I am grateful God is getting me through this.”
    This. Thank you for your honesty and strength. It’s a tough time in life when “getting through it” is the biggest point of gratitude, but it’s putting the soul in the correction direction. I always have to resist the temptation to wallow in despair…and your post was an encouraging reminder that we are made for better things than that.

  • I’m thinking about joining in on the blog too, but I’ll definitely fill up the hashtag on social media! There is just so much I can be grateful for right now, more than I put in the Shine app in the morning.

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