Rethink.

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
-Michelangelo

You are a work of art sculpted by God himself, and he does not make mistakes. Even weaknesses, even disabilities- these perceived "imperfections" were created with a perfect plan.

As I have mentioned before, this year I was diagnosed with ADHD. I don't pretend to put it on the same level or make it out to be the same kind of monumental struggle others have with more severe mental and physical disorders, but it has taught me a lot. I have learned that my greatest weakness is also my greatest strength: imagination. Without ADHD, I believe I would think in a very different way and be a very different person. Even given the chance, I don't think I would want to be "cured" (for lack of a better word). God knew what he was doing when he gave me this struggle. It has made my life richer and I believe has accounted in large part for my successes. I have to continually work to compensate for my weakness, but the strengths that arise out of those weaknesses are more than worth it.

Reading this, you may be going through a similar or even a more severe struggle. Remember, God makes no mistakes. He has put you where you are and 'how' you are for a very specific purpose. It is through struggle that we grow, and growth is what this life is all about. Referring back to the Michelangelo quote- “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”- I can't imagine carving to be a very pleasant experience for the stone. And yet, with each blow, with each trial, what once was a lump of rock becomes an angel- one of the mightiest of the servants of God. So when the trials come, forget the pain and sense instead the hand of the divine sculptor. Try to catch his vision of your potential, help him release the angel from the stone

Beyond that, beyond ourselves, our trials can bless those around us. Often the experience of a trial will allow us to connect with and to help people we could not help otherwise. In addition, just being in the presence of people with disabilities is inspiring. There is something about watching someone else struggle and succeed in the face of impossible odds that stirs something inside- it gives us hope for our own struggles and makes us want to be better. Lastly, all of the greatest achievements of mankind have come in the face of adversity, and many, many of those have come in the face of disability. If Helen Keller could have seen or heard, would she have had the lasting impact on humanity that every child in school learns about today? Ludwig van Beethoven was completely deaf when he composed some of his most masterful symphonies. Thomas Edison, who himself had a hearing disability, was one of the most prolific inventors of all time and has contributed immeasurably to humanity's development, saving uncounted lives with his inventions.

We are given challenges, even disabilities, for a reason. Yes, they are hard. If I were a swearing man, I would say yes, they can be (expletive) hard. But challenges need not be tragedies. They are not prisons that keep us chained in the depths, they are launchpads to allow us, and our loved ones, to reach heights we never could have imagined otherwise. However, in order to do so we must partner with Christ. He will fill our weakness with his strength, and reveal to us the strength he has given us through weakness. Chin up, you are a child of God! And as such you have NO LIMITS.