Do you know anyone with this disease? I’m sure we all have run into one or two in our lifetime. The problem is…..do they know it’s them?? Do they know that we all try to avoid all the talk about their aches and pains? Do they know that we are inwardly cringing when they seemly turn every conversation into a session regarding their latest doctors appointment?
How can they get so animated and excited when telling you about their gallbladder and feet problems for the umpteenth time? If it weren’t so pitiful, it would be hilariously funny!! What a miserable way to live!
I have often wondered, what motivates a person with ‘Hypochondriasis? Is it attention seeking, or merely an extremely negative personality? Do these same people find their self complaining about everything? It’s too cold, it’s too hot, it’s too loud, it’s not loud enough….?
We have watched a girl in our church go through 4 years of stage 4 Cancer. She has had endless sessions of chemo, and radiation. A Stem Cell Transplant, and 3 brain surgeries, and 1 hip surgery later, she is a beaming light of joy and optimism. I have noticed that she would much rather talk about other things. Why? Because she knows what it REALLY means to be sick and to suffer. ‘Real’ illness is not ‘glamorized’ in her mind, for she has truly experienced the ‘shadow of death’ and unthinkable pain. If anyone had rights to complain or be consumed with ‘sickness’, this girl would. But she doesn’t.
If you are reading this, God has so graciously given you the gift of life. In fact today, God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds! He also fearfully and wonderfully made YOU. Instead of being so fascinated with the negative and infatuated with sickness, why don’t you take a deep breath, smile as wide as you can, turn on some high-steppin’ music that gives glory to your incredible creator, and just simply sing…..Thank You.
Thank you for each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends….for everything Thy goodness sends.
Here’s my prescription,…..Thankfulness!!
