What is it Like to be You?
“Ice breaker” games with an unfamiliar group of people provide us the opportunity to get to know each other. What if this question were asked: “What is it like to be you?”
It would depend on how we felt physically, mentally, socially, economically, relationally, and spiritually on that given day. If we felt good – no real aches or pains; if we were calm and at peace in our souls; if we were in a happy place with our spouse, family and friends; loved our job, and if we were in a right place with God, our answer may be something like: “It is great to be me because I am healthy, my family loves me, I have great friends, an awesome job, and God is so good to me!”
Good answer — on a good day! And, if it were simply a great faith confession, it would still be a good answer. I may have answered it differently a year ago and even six months ago. I have loved playing Pickleball, including the thrills of victory and even the chagrin of facing defeat. Great fun with great friends.
But, after twice getting hamstring injuries requiring six months of chiropractic treatments each, wisdom revealed that I needed to hang up my pickleball shoes and paddles. When the pain was excruciating, if I had been asked: “What is it like to be you?”, though I would have tried desperately to describe myself in a faith-filled, upbeat, hallelujah voice, if I were honest to the bone, I would have told you that I was in a lot of pain.
Being me would have come down to what I felt in that one season of time. I know there are those who live their lives without a thought about how good they feel. I also know there are others who live daily in far more pain than I ever felt.
But fast forward to today when I no longer suffer from pain. I’d tell you: “My life is like birds singing, bells ringing, and walking on sunshine.”
That experience made me realize that I don’t want to take God and His blessings for granted in any way. God is good. Really good — all the time!”
Whether we understand His reasons or not, we must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful. When things happen to us that we simply don’t understand, our reaction should always be to trust Him. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6). I speak that scripture a lot these days.
The best news of all is this one life here on earth is short-lived, considering eternity. Whatever this life looks like here is nothing to be compared to what our lives will look like in heaven. “What no eye has seen, and no ear has heard, and has not entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
So, in reply to “What is it like to be you?”, I’m declaring that it is a blessed life of living one day at a time, embracing each moment of it, celebrating that I’m a child of the King of Kings. In sickness and in health, in death, we will never part, because He’s prepared a heavenly place us! Then, when asked: “What is it like to be you?”, our answer will always be….”HEAVENLY!”