I was reading through some old notes this week and was reminded of how simple life should be. I sometimes over-complicate life and become focused on what I want rather than what I have. “I am blessed.” This was the phrase the speaker used over and over. “I am blessed”. No matter what is going on in his life, the answer to how he is doing, is “I am blessed.”
I was invited to run sound for a conference a few years ago at Moody Gardens in Galveston. Their keynote speaker was David Ring. A gentleman with an incredible story… and cerebral palsy. He has overcome many challenges and frustrations with life and his story reminds me that I, too, am blessed. A man who has never allowed people to tell him what he can and cannot do. His trust was in God. If God wants me to do it, then He will help me find a way. If not, then he won’t… and that’s o.k. His story is a great example of living life every day with the love of God. His focus is on the blessings of God, not on the challenges he faces every day.
Life is not about fixing everybody else. It is about living the love of Jesus every day. Even when it is hard. Even when people tell me I can’t. Even when things didn’t go the way I wanted at work or school. Even if we have Cerebral Palsy and it is difficult to speak or walk. Life is about living. Being alive. Learning. Growing. Improving. Being alive in Christ.
David reminded me that life is not about me, it is about Jesus. God is the one who “softens the hearts” of people, not me. God is the one who opens doors of opportunity, not me. How I am doing is irrelevant. Life is not about me. It is about Jesus. I sometimes become so focused on “me” that I have a difficult time seeing the needs of those around me. The “me” mindset, also prevents me from asking for help when I need it. When I focus on me, the appearance of my life becomes more important than my actual life. Asking for help weakens the appearance. “I am blessed” puts the attention back on God. Every good and perfect gift comes from God. (James 1:17) When I focus on that, I become less “me” centered.
Sometimes I find myself frustrated and focused on all the things that are wrong, or at least things that could be better. While that is good to some degree, it is not good to become focused on that alone. There is always room for improvement and we need to strive to be better. But, maybe instead of focusing on what is not right, I should be focused on the goal and working to make my life a reflection of Jesus. A life centered around everything that is right and good in my life. “I am blessed”.
It was a message that I needed to be reminded of.
-Curtis
