Thankful For The Pain

Happy Thanksgiving!
I woke up early this morning thinking about what I’m grateful for. And my thoughts surprised me.

I’m thankful for the Pain.
YES, the PAIN.

That sounds like a weird thing to be grateful for, doesn’t it? I wasn’t thankful for it at first.
But what happened as a result may not have happened without the pain!

So, I’m grateful for the physical PAIN I had 6 years ago. The nagging pain in my left hip and knees that didn’t get better on its own. The pain that pushed me to invest in my health and join a gym, which re-started my career in physical therapy.
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I’m grateful for the financial PAIN I had at that time; without it I would not have been looking for a career change.

I’m now grateful for the PAIN of disappointment when plans that I had for my career re-start didn’t work out like I had hoped. Without that pain, I would have never started my own practice or become an entrepreneur.

How about the PAIN of broken relationships? I really struggle with this. Nobody wants strained friendships, business relationships gone wrong, or trust betrayed. It’s hard to be thankful for any of that. However, I recall what my business coach and mentor once said, “Everything that happens to me, good or bad, God uses as an opportunity to bless someone else.” So I trust in that truth. Sometimes it means asking forgiveness of the other person, or to forgive myself. Sometimes it forces me to look inward and see things I need to change so that I can be a better person. Sometimes it is realizing that the relationship needed to end and it’s okay to move on. I’m thankful for that ruthless trust.  I’m thankful that God can use me, even when I mess up, to bless others.   

I’m also thankful for those who told me I could NOT / should NOT do this because…
              --I’m too old to get back in the game
                           (Wrong! I’m the perfect age for this)
              --It’s too risky, better play it safe
(The safest place is in the middle of God’s will – I’m there!)
              --I’m not good enough
                           (Tell that to my clients whose lives have been changed by this!)
 So…thanks for the comments that it couldn’t be done because (blah, blah…). They just spurred me on to want this even more! To work harder, risk bigger, pray more, and ask for help when needed.

It’s not easy for me to ask for help. But I know that I can’t do this alone.
I am SO grateful for the many people that God placed in my life to help me get to where I am now. Some I’ve known for years, others just for a short season. It was no accident that the knowledge, skills and support they offered was exactly what I needed at just the right time. If you are one of those people, THANK YOU!

It may sound crazy, but I’m finding joy in the pain and disappointments.
I’ve been given an incredible and unique opportunity to help people. And they are so grateful to be able to regain their dignity, relieve their pain, and solve their embarrassing problems “down there”.

How about you? What difficult or painful things are you now thankful for? I’d love to hear about it!