Numb To It

Scripture Of The Day: "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." - Psalm 90:12 (NIV)



It’s a very hard thing to admit or accept. But the truth is that sometimes we can be very insensitive and thoughtless when it comes to realizing how blessed we are. There are so many blessings that we overlook and take for granted that cause us to miss the great opportunities to express gratitude and appreciation.

A few years ago, as I was going about my daily routine, I immediately began having sharp pains in my abdomen area. After a few minutes they would leave. A few hours would pass and no pain. Then out of nowhere, they’d come back again.

This process went on throughout most of the day until it became unbearable. I drove myself to the local health facility and called my wife to meet me there. After a few hours of being examined, I was told what the problem was and then told that there was no immediate solution. My cecum had flipped over. This muscle is a body part that connects the small and large intestine together and allows the body to process waste. At the risk of explaining too much, let’s just say that nothing that I’d eaten or drank moved – for days! And what was even more frustrating was that there was nothing that could be done. I had to deal with this inconsistent pain and discomfort for days. Fortunately, my cecum decided to be nice to me and after about four days decided to flip back over. But I learned a few valuable lessons through all of this.

1.) I learned that there are parts of the human body that we may never hear about that have to work in order for us to go about our daily activities with no thought whatsoever.

2.) I learned how awesome and unique God is as a creator that He could design such a beautiful masterpiece as the human body to function in ways that only He could have orchestrated.

3.)  I learned to take a moment and express gratitude not just for the things that are happening in our lives, but also for the things that we may not be aware of, but that we’re protected from.

4.) I learned to appreciate the ‘unknown’ blessings.



These ‘unknown’ blessings can include blessings that we have overlooked for generations. Some of our families are blessed with generations of good health, solid academic successes, highly talented individuals, creative ideas, and steady relationships. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you were to take the time to reflect today, you would probably be able to write a page length’s work of blessings that have made its way through multiple generations in your family. Have you ever stopped to simply say, “thank you” for this?

In our focus scripture today, the psalmist recognizes that everything that we experience and enjoy in life can easily be dismissed or destroyed from our lives. So he simply asks God (paraphrase), “Lord, teach us to enjoy what we have and enjoy it well…” That’s a nice way to ask God not to allow you to ever become numb, cold or overlook the blessings that are right in front of you. I couldn’t appreciate the work that my cecum was doing until it decided to flip one day (no pun intended). Now, there are some days that I remember those four days of pain and I appreciate God that today my cecum is working properly.


Before something flips on you, I’d encourage you to recognize it, not be numb to it, and simply say, “Thank You.” You’ll feel better about it. I know I do.
 
(Via Overseer Christopher J. Harris)  
Be Blessed!
Dawn