“and yet…”
Confession time, I am guilty of questioning or blaming God a lot when something happens in my life, or to me, that I perceive as being unfair. My natural instinct when I get some bad news, an unwanted bill, a health problem, or even just when I catch my pocket on the door handle and it pulls me back! is to roll my eyes, let out a teenage huff, and moan at God (or Mike!) And as we’re being honest, church and leadership issues around church are usually top of my list to have a good old whinge and pity party about! If I’m not careful, I can easily slip into a negative tailspin which is hard to pull myself out of. Anyone else, or just me?
Thankfully, I am surrounded by amazing people in my life who pull me up, kick me up the bum, and keep pushing me along the right track. Most of which don’t even know they do it. I’d like to tell you about a hero of mine who is a constant reminder and inspiration to NOT be like my natural self when life seems tough. For the sake of this blog, his name is Benny.
Benny is a pupil in the SEND school that I work in and just one of many flippin’ awesome kids that I get to support each week. Benny has complex learning difficulties and multiple profound medical disorders. Benny cannot form words, has deformed limbs, and many painful internal abnormalities of his organs. He also has Global Developmental Delay and Autism which makes his understanding of and access to the world around him really difficult. To top it all off, Benny is also a twin and his brother is perfectly abled and a constant reminder of everything he is not. In my opinion, he has every reason under the sun to look at his life, and what’s happened to him, at all the things he cannot do and his brother can, and be as negative as he wishes. I mean I don’t think anyone could blame him?
AND YET, Benny is THE most positive, happy, cheeky, joyful ball of energy I have ever met! Despite ALL his difficulties he is the most determined little boy, he will give everything a go and is constantly getting himself in pickles with our behaviour support team for running down the corridor or jumping off the tree house outside! Physically, he is a walking, jumping, climbing miracle. Cognitively, he’s pushing through barriers and learning to use an electronic communication aid to speak (although he’s extremely able in getting his point across through gestures and noises!). Emotionally, he’s the most happy-go-lucky child I’ve met. Spiritually, I have no idea where he’s at. But he has the stamp and gifting of God all over his life. It’s so clear to see.
So when I am tempted to have a moan about how hard my life is, I think of Benny. The boy who is daily going through so much AND YET is an inspiration to so many on how to live life to the full, regardless of what label/diagnosis/limitation/lack he is facing.
Everyone is facing something. What’s big to me, may be small to you, and visa versa. But can I encourage you to not get dragged down into the negative spiral of despair, disgruntlement and injustice. Shake it off and lift your eyes above the circumstance. Above the horizon. Be like Benny and defy your circumstance and jump off that treehouse roof just for the fun of it!
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
Dani Williams
