A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22 CSB

Catching a cold is not something we look forward to when winter rolls around. In fact, if our family makes it to Spring without using a legion of tissues, enduring the vapor of Vicks, and the after-taste of menthol cough drops, we consider ourselves victorious. One winter, after we left the holidays  in the rearview mirror, sore throats, congestion, and body aches crept in, shattering our cold-free streak. I was so frustrated. How could I possibly accomplish all I need to do while fighting this nasty cold? Sickness was cramping my style.

What we may view as a curse can truly be a blessing in disguise. During this down time, while feeling physically drained, God gave me reason to pause. To stop. To rest and completely heal instead of pushing through and pressuring myself like I always have, God was urging me to slow down, be patient, and to lean into a place of peace He had for me. A peace that would reframe my active life-style mindset and move me forward in faith like I had never experienced before.

I did  things to strengthen myself physically, like eating what I termed a “power diet,” but I ultimately surrendered to God to fortify me spiritually. I began a ritual of nourishing my spirit each day through reading, reflecting, and praying. In this season of rest, I spent more time in God’s Word and devotionals. What I had seen as an inconvenience, became an essential part of my spiritual growth. This season of spiritual growth inspired me to pen my thoughts into poetry, painting pictures of what I was feeling each day. God channeled  the powerlessness I felt into  something of beauty.

 Despite discomforts caused by the sickness cold, I relished in the hope and peace of life’s simple moments. Moments like sitting by the window and soaking in the warmth of the sun.  Proverbs 17:22 (CSB) says, A joyful heart is a good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones; I knew inviting myself to a pity party would not fix my misery; but, allowing God to open my eyes to His presence and faithfulness could. Though I had been focused on my physical recovery, seeking to lessen my symptoms every day, I began to take note of how my inner spirit was being strengthened. God was healing me from the inside out.

God affirmed in my soul that a cold can be a blessing. He is the Great Physician. He is able to pinpoint exactly what we need when we need it.Take some time each day to rest, listen, and be still in His presence. Healing often comes in ways we don’t expect or want, but it always comes in His time by His grace.