Behind the scenes

 Behind the scenes

 

 

People see the stone house on the hill and the surround of manicured acreage. Some voice envy, some can't hide their jealous attitude, very few express happiness about your accomplishments. Even though blessings have been shared and an open invitation to enjoy your fruits have been presented, you find yourself rejected. Rejection, an unpleasant condition can develop into dysphoria. The Cleveland Clinic offers an article with great insight into the condition.https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24099-rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-rsd. A strong pain or discomfort, if not overwhelming, is classified using the Greek word "dysphoria". Rejection can turn off the creative switch, and dampen your desire to start new projects. Our brains use different areas to manage emotions, memory, input senses, assessments, etc. and our minds attempt to balance these factors throughout our lives. Our skill to do this task should improve as we age. There are many ways to manage a rejection dysphoria such as medications and counselors, but for my wife and I, we simply try to be nicer to ourselves. What you are experiencing may not be a rejection, just the fact most people are self-focused. Refrain from thinking nobody cares, everyone cares, even if it is just about themself.

There's an adage: When I was young, I worried about what others thought of me. When I attained middle age, I decided not to care what others thought of me. When I reached old age, it occurred to me that no one had ever been thinking of me.

Real, not imagined rejection is a poke from people troubled by their own inability to manage emotions. Understanding and accepting the short comings of others is a great management key. A healthy way to manage your feelings is to avoid immediate reactions, push the pause button, process, so you don't say or do things you will later regret. Focus on those who accept you, present yourself to others in the best light and learn to accept the reactions of others. Embrace the ones who accept you, seek them out and never chase after those who reject you. The Bible is described as a love story, it also grants great insights into rejection. Everyone desires acceptance, it validates, generates good feelings and comfort. 

Non-believers will often write off the Bible as a book of fairytales, words written by men to control others, but there is another side of the coin. Many are turned off to the messages contained within the Bible by the way it has been interpreted and presented. The meaning of its words and usage become trivialized by zealots. Jesus came to save the world, he did no wrong, performed miracles, healed, counseled and loved and yet was rejected. Not only rejected, but murdered, this response by mankind speaks volumes about the human heart. Friends or relatives will not likely consider what road led to your success, no one remembers, the loss of a child, infidelities of a spouse, eighty-four-hour work weeks, living in a camper at job sites or while building your home. They'll ignore the thousands of hours spent writing books, or the cars, money, and houses you gave away. They may not think you are evil or just bad, but still, you may sense rejection because no one gives thought to your needs. Think of Jesus Christ, two thousand years after his murder, people still crucify him and claim the Bible is a book of fairytales.

The Bible is a book of mankind, it contains every sin and wicked deed man indulges in. The Bible brings to light our tendency to reject, forget and self-focus. It also offers the true definition of Love.

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• Above and Beyond

• RadiOo Silence
• By: William A. Wright
• Narrated by: Darren Eliker
• Length: 4 hrs and 39 mins

 

Contentment
Monday, April 1, 2024 by Brave Knight Writers

A true story.

In a recent encounter, a new acquaintance asked me about my greatest life challenges and how they affected me. Even after all these years my voice tightened as I spoke. My advantage came in my ability to reflect on those times, refer to scripture, and find comfort in God’s word.

Philippians 4: 10-13 NIV

 “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Paul writes from prison to show his gratitude for those supplying him with food and necessities. He gives the glory to God for inspiring their concerns. His imprisonment produced an opportunity for others to show their concern. He also assures everyone he has learned to be content, no matter in what circumstance he finds himself.

The playroom had floor-to-ceiling windows, the sun covered the floor. The toys were a mere hodge-podge of donations: Lincoln logs, firetrucks, hot wheels, blocks, toy soldiers, and dolls. My son sat playing with a small toy knight, his bald head exposing a zipper-looking scar running from the back of his neck to the top of his skull. A shunt tube ran under his skin from his head to his abdomen, it relieved pressure and carried away spinal fluids. He was all that mattered to me, everything else faded into trivia. Money, work, marital drama all paled. His months in a coma made me relish his play.

Following his initial surgery, the doctors had pronounced him braindead; the monitors showed no brain activity and all but me had given up hope. Day after day, I read to him, and moved all his joints to prevent them from seizing. A ribbon with a bell attached hung above him. “Give it a tug” was my request as I placed his hand on it. “Ring the bell.” His hand dropped away, day after day, week after week. This is where you learn patience, ignore petty drama, and what true value is. You learn if money can solve a problem, it isn’t a real problem. You pray and you curse, you question your sanity and at times you lose it. All up and down the halls you hear the parental wails and encounter the face of grief. Your situation isn’t the worst or most shocking. This is 4 Neuro. The horrors are real. The suffering is beyond imagination, and God gets questioned.

James 1:12 tells us, ‘Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.’

At this time, I wasn’t familiar with scripture, I believed in God and sought his help. My prayers focused on strength for me and healing for my son. The book of Job offers great insight into this world’s workings. It is Satan who delivers all the tragedy and misfortunes, God allows the process and so often we blame him. What we must realize is that life is a test, a refinement. God watches, just as He watched Job suffer at the hands of Satan. The test of Job is an example of how we must not lose faith when life presents challenges.

“What are you playing with?” I asked my son.

He turned to me and held out the knight; he placed his other hand over the hole in his throat, his tracheotomy.

“It’s the brave knight, the bravest of all knights.” He replied in a raspy voice.

At the time, I didn’t realize it represented the full armor of God. In the months following his awakening from his coma, our conversations were on a maturity level well beyond his five years. The night before he died, he told me he had to leave. In the days, weeks and months following his death I tried to put myself back together. The best glue I found was to acknowledge I had been blessed with a beautiful son for five years and his return from his coma came as an answer to my prayers. God gave him back to me so we could say good-bye.

Celebrating all life became the best way to honor my son. Contentment came in the knowledge that our time has limits. Every day God gave me, beyond my own five years are bonus days, not to be wasted but to be celebrated. When you are broken and know there are still others depending on you, you gather up the biggest pieces and struggle on. For years you discover the many little pieces still on the floor. You may never find all of them and it will take years to fit them all back where they belong.

Going forward wasn’t easy, and becoming a Christian isn’t an overnight success story. Endure, find contentment, identify your blessings, and be aware—expectations can lead to disappointment and stunted growth. God wants to see your transformation, and your refinement. Mistakes plague me in the past, present, and future, but I continue to reflect on false steps, confess, seek forgiveness, and try my best to right things.

In our troubles, we learn empathy, gratitude, forgiveness, and values, so be grateful for what you have. In the end God restored Job. Even so, Job carried all his losses with him. Job never lost his faith, his most valued attribute.

Contentmenthttps://www.amazon.ca/stores/William-A.-Wright/author/B0164HULKG?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

https://braveknightwriters.com/blog/1057-Contentment