A New Series

I wanted to start a new open “series” that spotlights specific aspects of navigating and processing life with a chronic illness. Your identity and self-worth, your inner life and perspective on your struggles, the way you plan and create a vision for your future are some ideas that come to mind right now that I would love to touch on in this series.

The reason I want to go here is because I felt challenged to become a better steward of my chronic illness journey—even now, while I’m still in trenches. I think I used to think that once I got to the “other side,” I would talk about it from that birds-eye view perspective. I didn’t think I had much to offer in terms of giving advice or insight because I am still very much in the heat of the battle with ongoing symptoms and little direction. I realized, though, that even in the midst of wrestling, not only for improvement of symptoms, but for healing in my thoughts and attitude, I still have insight and perspective to offer to anyone who might relate.

Stewardship

So, in this first post, I want to focus on one word: stewardship. We don’t use that word often in our modern vocabulary, but Merriam Webster defines it as: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care. I love that definition, because it focuses on the best possible management of what we already have. Another example of the word is in 1 Peter 4:10-11: “ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.”

This concept of being a “good steward” has recently challenged the way I think about my chronic illness. I know this is different than stewarding a “gift” in the way this verse is referring to, but I think it carries over into the way we steward even our struggles and difficulties as well. Just like we have the responsibility of managing our finances, relationships and talents, we also have the responsibility of managing our challenging situations. Even when we are dealing with circumstances that we didn’t ask for and our largely out of our control, we still have certain choices to make along the way that will determine the way those difficulties shape our lives or possibly benefit others.

Because I enjoy writing and already have this platform, I believe one way I can faithfully steward my chronic illness is to freely dialogue some of the lessons, insights, wise counsel and personal perspective I have gained from five-and-a-half years of personal experience with it. Not only for the sake of others who may resonate with certain aspects, but to empower and redeem the way I view my own story. I think there is healing in the sharing, if it’s done in an edifying way rather than from a spirit of self-pity or victim-hood.

So, hopefully you can hang in there with me and find something that will encourage and speak to you, no matter what season you are in or what struggles you find yourself facing right now!

What About You?

Did anything about this idea of stewardship stand out to you? Are there any areas of your life—whether gifts or challenging experiences—that you could better “manage” to not only experience more redemption but also to help others who may benefit from what you’ve learned? I would love to hear!