Jeremiah Burroughs, bless his old soul, has the ability to amaze me, to challenge me, to confuse me and to cause me to think outside the box. And that's a lot, considering he only lived for forty-six short years. Today his writings address the issue of wealth.
Burroughs uses the example of a man who was once very wealthy but lost it all. He (Burroughs) hypothetically asks that man what it is that he misses the most about his loss. The man replies that he misses the wonderful food that his wealth afforded him. He misses the ability to dress like a prosperous man and he misses the respect his wealth brought him from others. He misses not being able to store money away for his future and for the futures of his children. He grieves the loss of his wealth.
Then Burroughs asks the same hypothetical question of another man who has also lost great wealth. This time the man answers that he misses being able to share his wealth with others less fortunate than himself. He misses being able to travel to far off places to benefit his distant "brethren", in Burroughs' language of the 1600s. He admits to missing the creature comforts that his wealth afforded him but he is not grieving the loss of his wealth. "And now that God has taken this away from me, if He will be pleased to make up the enjoyment of Himself some other way, will call me to honor Him by suffering, and if I may do God as much service now by suffering, that is, by showing forth the grace of His Spirit in my sufferings, as I did in prosperity, I have as much of God as I had before. So if I may be led to God in my low condition as much as I was in my prosperous condition, I have as much comfort and contentment as I had before."-Jeremiah Burroughs (Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment). Burroughs, having lived from 1600-1646, used a very different writing style than that of today but he spoke to me strongly through his words.
I had great health (my"wealth", for today's purposes). If Jeremiah were to have asked me at the beginning of my journey through cancer what it was that I missed most about my great health I would honestly have had to answer that I missed the comfort and the freedom it afforded me. I missed the ability to set my own agenda and carry it out. I missed relying on myself for the comforts I enjoyed. I was limitless in my choices. I grieved the loss of my "wealth".
But today I would answer very differently. Today I honestly do miss my former health but I no longer grieve the loss of it. Instead I thank God for it. It has opened my eyes to needs of those who are less fortunate that those of us who have had the privilege of enjoying good health. It has stretched my compassion capacity. It has allowed me to see life through the eyes of those who are suffering. It has increased immeasurably my dependence on God for all the things of this life. I depend on Him for life's blessings and, as strange as it may sound, I depend on Him for sprinkling my life liberally with periods of discomfort and challenge, if only to keep me connected to those around me. And given more time I could come up with more reasons for thanking Him for my present circumstances.
Thank you, Jeremiah Burroughs, for your great insights and for your ability to allow us to see what are the really important things in life through your beautiful words.
On the health front:
This promises to be another great day!
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