Do you always love the presents you receive?  Really?  How about that lovely, bright red, energy efficient vacuum cleaner your husband excitedly gave you your third Christmas together?  Or that delightful school bus yellow sweater your aunt lovingly made for you?  You know the one you had to wear or hurt her feelings, although it made you look like … you guessed it … a yellow school bus!

And, you’re not the only one who gets disappointed, remember the look of disgust on Grandma’s face as she opened that birthday present—you know the special one you had so thoughtfully picked out for her.  It was a lovely white cat snow globe, because she had had a white cat before going to the nursing home and she loved cats.  You were so excited to have found the perfect gift that you were sure she would love.  But love was not a word that came to mind as you watched her open her gift.  She said, “What is this?  That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen!”

Sometimes in life we are given unexpected gifts that, at the time, seem to us less than ideal, more like a burden actually.  We can have a heart of gratitude or we can have an attitude that stinks to high heaven.  “Uh, Lord, thanks, uh, Lord, but why would you give me this?  This is hard, this is chaos, this is pain!  Not the blessing that makes my life easier or makes me happier.  What am I supposed to do with this?”

It was a month after my double mastectomy surgery in August of 2011, and I was facing another surgery.  To say things were very difficult for me at the time would have been a huge understatement.  Having been diagnosed with breast cancer at a time when I was dealing with a federal court case, because one of my closest friends had embezzled a great deal of money from me, had me at an all-time low in my life.  The burdens were crushing!

At my surgeon’s visit that Friday, I had asked him what my limitations were from my surgery.  He said jokingly, “Don’t do any sit ups.”  “No, that’s not exactly what I had in mind,” I said.  “I was thinking about something a little less strenuous, like lying on my float in the pool.”  He had told me to wait 24 hours after the visit, then I could.  I was so excited!  The next night we grilled hotdogs down by our pool and my boys cleaned up.  At about 9:30 p.m. that night, I grabbed my float and headed into the pool.  I leaned back onto my float and looked up to see at least a trillion stars filling the sky.  As I lay there, suddenly there was nothing and nobody else in the world but me and God.

I felt God pour the most amazing love on me right there on my float in my pool that night.  I felt it from the top of my head to the soles of my feet.  It was overwhelming as tears spilled from my eyes.  I heard Him whisper tenderly to my spirit.  “Sharon, I love you!  I know you don’t understand why all this is happening to you, but I want you to trust me.  It may not seem like it to you right now but this is a gift and I want you to use this for me.”  At that moment, I can’t describe the peace that descended on me and the burden that was lifted.

Honestly, if I were picking a gift for myself, it would not be breast cancer, losing my breasts or having my friend steal from me—all to hit me at the same time.  But, I have no doubt that I am supremely loved by my awesome God. He had a plan then for me six years ago, and He has a plan for me now.  His ways are not my ways, and if He said it was a gift, then with all my heart, I resolved that night that I was going to believe that it was and try to accept it with a grateful heart.

Fast forward to now, six years later. Although I still sometimes struggle with the sadness of what breast cancer took from me, and I still feel a twinge of pain on occasion about the betrayal by my friend, I have weathered those storms pretty well. I give all the glory to God for that, because it was not something I could have done on my own. I am six years cancer free and my family survived the financial impact of the embezzlement. I forgave my friend. God comforted me through those trials, and has given me opportunities during the last six years to comfort others who have fought cancer, and others who have faced betrayal. I know what He meant that night when He said those trials were a gift. He used those tests to build my testimony.

Despite how difficult life can be, His Word says that He is working all things together for the good of those who love the LORD.  I believe that!  Sometimes we try to carry the mountains that we were only meant to climb.  What God uses to set us apart can sometimes feel like a burden, but it is not. It is His gift to help make us more like Him. He has a plan to give each of us a hope and a future. He knows better than we do, and no matter how impossible life can seem, He can and does carry us through it all, one day at a time. It all comes back to trusting him.

LORD, help me to graciously accept the gifts from you into my life–gifts to grow me, change me and bring you glory—with a grateful heart, not with fear or dread.  I know you walk beside me and whatever you call me to do, you’ll make a way. I know I can do all things through you because you strengthen me.  LORD, you don’t make mistakes, you know exactly what your gifts to us are meant to accomplish in our lives.  Please bless those that are reading this today who are facing difficult trials. Please shower them with your gifts of love, mercy, healing and promise of a brighter day.   Amen

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  James 1:2-4

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

Has God brought you through some impossible times? Has He given you gifts through your trials that certainly did not seem like gifts at the time? Please share your experience, thoughts and comments.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today. May God strengthen you through the storms in your life, and bless you always with the gifts of His love and grace. Amen