Beyond the Headlines

    Last week, we looked at some of what I call, “The Headline Events” in my life. Just as the media and newspapers focus on the tragedies and the tough breaks in life, that is sometimes how we identify one another.

     Isn’t he the one that had the drinking problem, the one with the disabled child, the one who is in a wheelchair, the one with a troubled marriage? I’m sure you know what I mean.

      We seldom move beyond the big news to see how the story turns out, or read between the lines where the blessings are hidden. Those headline events, the bold-faced, underlined moments of my life have taken on added meaning, and purpose and yes, blessings.

     I shared with you the blessings and the unending grace God has shown me through every situation in life, the good, the bad, the ugly. He weaves His promises, His love and His goodness into all of life.

     Focusing on the good is often difficult when dealing with chronic pain or a life of care-giving. But don’t let the headlines bring you down. Look beyond them to find deeper meaning, into something eternal and profound.

     I have a degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which began with night blindness and over the last twenty years has robbed me of my peripheral vision. This disease, I would say, is one of the headlines of my life. Our family has dealt with other major and minor crises over the years as everyone does.

     Since the original diagnosis of my eye disease, my life has changed. Slowing down, giving up driving, allowing my world to decrease in activity and diminish in scope has often found me at a loss.

     When a crisis hits us, we face choices, we come to a crossroads and we wonder which way to move. What do we do now?

     My diagnosis brought me to my knees. Not a bad place to begin the process of dealing with pain. “If you are there, God, please let me know.”

     A humble position, a questioning mind, a seeking heart. And, of course, He responded. He found me, just as He promises in His Word.  He led me to others to help me through the journey. I realize now; He had been there all along.  I had heard of His love all of my life. I just hadn’t taken the time to get to know Him personally, Maybe, just maybe, I needed a headline event.

     He is now more real to me than anyone else in my life. The Word of God is constantly on my heart and on my lips. He comforts me, He gives me rest, and real peace and joy in the midst of a chaotic and ever-changing world. He constantly amazes me.

     Our daughters have seen faith in action. They have learned it is a blessing to serve. And they believe in the power of prayer and understand it more than I did at their age. They have hearts of compassion and I’m sure some of that heart comes from dealing with all we have dealt with as a family. We all need each other. Accepting help when we need it from others is no easy task in this independent/fast-paced age of ours. And I have been richly blessed with my husband, family and friends.

     Finally, no matter what the headlines of my life will read in the future, I will not let them define me. God will turn the tragedy into triumph, the fear into faith, the test into a testimony and the headline event into a history to be shared.

     My spiritual eyes are wide open and as the darkness begins to gather around me, I have the only light that matters. And Christ is the Author and Finisher of all things. Not only of our individual lives and destinies, but of all eternity. Jesus is on the throne of heaven, having defeated death for us.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Father,

We don’t understand how Jesus could see the joy before Him as He endured the cross for us, but I believe that joy included us! We thank You for teaching us how to open our spiritual eyes to truth, and like Jesus, keep our eyes on the joy set before us.

In Jesus name,
Amen