Don’t Lose Heart
There’s nothing like a pandemic to make one extra vigilant. Even though it seems we are through the worst of it, I know of a number of loved ones, friends, and others who have come down with the virus in recent days.
Working in a hospital, I find myself constantly self evaluating.. are those sniffles allergies.. or could they be something more? Those aches… are they from my garden workout, or what? That sore throat… perhaps the smoke in the air? Or should I take another Covid test?
If you take a more relaxed approach, kudos to you. I think we are all learning to live with risk, knowing we can’t live sanitized lives every minute of every day.
Getting older also brings on a level of deterioration, an acceptance of slowing down, of limitations, of not having the energy we had a decade or two ago. Being not dismayed at this, and yet living well in spite of aches and pains is a good goal.
Aging is inevitable, part of life. While we live with our heart set on eternity, our bodies have finite resources. I’m at the age where it seems like a lot of energy is spent staying healthy. And truly that is not a bad thing. But I’m also learning that a fixation on a perfect or healthy body can be a stress in itself.
Balance is key…. and not only exercises that help me with my balance. I’ve tried a few of those lately. We also need to care for our souls and tend to our hearts.
Oh God give me wisdom how to care for my body, is a prayer I often pray. I’ve had health challenges most of my life and met many many others who live with chronic challenging physical limitations and pain. To love the body God has gifted me with is a way of being grateful to the Creator.
And so we don’t lose heart. I love this verse from 2 Corinthians 4:16-17:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs them all.
Don’t Lose Heart
