I’ve come to believe that most success in life is about doing things that are distasteful – or at least a willingness to do the things others aren’t willing to put up with. That’s the key thought – to put up with it – it’s mostly about having the patience for the long haul. Many can at least briefly do something that is difficult, but how many can hang in there for the intermediate or long haul doing what isn’t all that much fun…? I know I’ve gone through most of life not being able to endure at that level, but then God broke through and gave me a gift.
I’m coming up on the anniversary of my devastating medical accident – some of you are aware of that so I won’t explain that here (you can read about it in my book The Day I Died). Of all, I have gained from that time of suffering what remains is the lesson of endurance. A lasting level of patience came to me when I was tied to a bed for an extended time during my recovery. At the time I thought something was taken from me. Now I realize I was getting in touch with the ability to move through life and do what is distasteful.
He’s in the business of giving gifts, though not in the way I received mine.
