The other day Jo& I were driving back from our badminton court. on our way a man with a disfigured face crossed us. He looked odd in the midst of normal looking people. I felt bad looking at him, & remembered an old Hindi song that goes like this.
दुनिया में कितना ग़म है ...मेरा ग़म कितना कम है !
I asked Jo..Jo, do you know the meaning of this song ?
he said "no. what does that mean?"
" It means...there's so much of pain in this world... that when I compare my grief with it ...mine is nothing!"
Jo said " very true. I've realised it some time back". & he shared his this experience from his life.
"last year I was going through tough times in my life. I lost my job. & was idle for many months. I attended interviews but couldn't get through. I was disappointed but still had the faith. After few months even call letters for interviews stopped. My bank balance was becoming Nil & I started panicking. I was running out of hope. Everyday I used to pray. & believe His help is on way. but in vain. It was a test of my faith. as being a christian, I can't doubt God's existence. Then the problem is with my faith. it was really tough to come to a realisation that my faith is not good enough to get His attention. I was frustrated& tired of this process.
On one of those days, on a Saturday, I finished my quite time & was getting ready to go to worship practice. I got dressed up & to pick up my bag I bent down& suddenly I sneezed. & that's it! I couldn't move. My back got a terrible sprain..lying down in the corner of my room I was calling for help. My room mate came running but couldn't find me for sometime. finally when he found me lying down, he tried to lift me up but couldn't carry me. some how he managed to put me on my bed. &The next one week - I was lying down on that bed being not able to stand up on my feet.
I just couldn't believe what happened. all did was sneezing& I ended up in the bed arrested. it was painful yet funny. But as I was lying in that bed all alone in that room I've realised one thing. all these days I've been complaining to God that He didn't give me what I wanted. But never realised the value of the gifts He gave me. He gave me Health. there are many people out there who got riches but not health. I've realised I need to be thankful for what He gave me rather than having bitterness against Him for what He didn't .
When my church friends came to know that I'm bed ridden coz of sneezing, my room was full of visitors. Everyday somebody would come to see me. They would try to cheer me, pray for me. On Sunday the entire church was at my place. They prayed, gave me a massage& found a physiotherapist who helped me to get back out of the bed on my feet. wow! looking at them I've realised one more gift God gave me- Friends! I'm not alone!!. this revelation changed the way I looked at my situation. it gave me a new hope& God in His time gave me a job which is better than my previous job in many ways. "
Joseph finished talking. But it left me thinking. if we only have the right perspective of God, we won't get desperate& frustrated! All we need to know is to- "count our blessings...name them one by one! & we will be surprised at what the Lord has done!"
Amen!
