Sometimes We Need to be Selfish!

As some know, my last week or so has been somewhat tough to bare. I was a voluntary admit patient as a Mental Health Hospital outside of Atlanta. It was tough to say the least. It's hard to admit you need help. But I'm learning that times like this require one to become selfish in order to be able to help another later.

There were individuals from 9 years old up to 83 years old in the hospital; Doctors, lawyers, businessmen, children, - and with me, even a pastor. Walks from every part of life- from alcohol addiction, drug dependency, breakdown from nervous disorder, bi-polar, blind, dimensia, medical, and anti-depression. Some were even there for fun trying to take advantage of three meals a day if you call those meals that. And there may have been more reasons - my point is literally everyone from all different walks of life.

It began being the worst week of my life and ended up being the best week of my life. Once I got over the acceptance of being there, I began to intermingle. And as I leaned on the Lord, He was able to begin to work on my mind and get the focus off of me and onto making a difference in others lives. I began to help feed some who were blind; I prayed kneeling down on the couch with another; I prayed in the hall with another; I even helped a man with his diaper. It was really different.

I think there were two lessons for me while there:

1. Sometimes when life leaves you confused and in pain, we must become selfish in order to get help to get us out of the hole. I needed help; Life had dumped on me in the meanest of ways and I knew it. Don't be ashamed of it because all of us have probably at some point in time been in the same boat.
2. As we hold onto Jesus, He will get the attention off of ourselves - that's the Holy Spirit's job. The longer I was there the more my attention got off of myself and onto others. I began to be concerned for those who couldn't feed themselves and those who couldn't see where their next step was going to be.
   

Henry Blackabee in the study book "Experiencing God" said this (and it's not an exact quote); "God knows what's best for our lives. God through the Holy Spirit's job while living in us is to make our will in align with His will". The bottom line is that this is what the verse means when stated:

"Ask and it shall be given to you. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened unto you."

The closer we become to God, through Christ, the more the Holy Spirit can move us in line with His will. In doing this, what we ask is His will. What we seek is His way. And the door we knock on is the door He already has chosen. Why would he every say "No" to his will?

Blessings :)