Recently, I have found myself a long way from home and yet so close to those people and things that I find dear! In this time of learning, healing, praying, hoping, and caring, it has also been a time for me to reflect on a lot of things! Recently, the one thing that has stood out to me the most, is the number of people that have opinions. Now, don't get me wrong, different opinions and different viewpoints are absolutely what makes the world go around. These things are also how we learn, grow, and experience new things every day and break out of ourselves, if we take the time to be open to hear them. NOW, all of that said, we don't have to agree with, follow through with or even understand the opinion, but an immense amount of respect is gained and given by just listening... and then you can share!
This is where an entire new found respect of mine has evolved... by hearing these opinions. I have discovered a new found respect for those things that I just don't understand. There have been a plethora of people that voice the fact that they don't understand how I could make the choice to come to Alabama for an unidentified period of time, how the don't understand the inner workings of Dystonia and how it takes over ones body, how they don't understand how Tony would 'let me' come to Alabama, and I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.
I have heard all of these opinions with grace and appreciation for their honesty and have then been able to take a moment to share one of the many opportunities I have had to experience God in a way I never thought I would in this situation. But in this, I have realized and gained this new found respect for things that I don't understand. There are situations in others' lives that I think out in my head, make an opinion, and move on... but I really don't understand. There are people that make choices that I criticize and rebuke within myself... but I really don't understand. And there are things that happen and situations that arise in others' lives that I analyze and form a judgement about... but I really don't understand. I, now, have found myself in the situation and the predicament that others' are looking at me from the perspective of not understanding... and that is okay!
I am now diligently working at my heart when it comes to situations that are not my own. Instead of those situations becoming opportunities to have an opinion that is unwelcome, a critical heart, and a judgmental spirit, I will take the opportunity to learn, to be open to what the Lord is doing in someone else's life, and to pray for them in a way, that I would have never been able to pray for them before. I will pray from the perspective of not understanding.... and that is ok!
