I knew it would come for me eventually. I am too much like my grandmother for it not to. I just didn’t expect it this young. So when it hit me like a train I knew immediately what it was. I went straight to my doctor and told her:
I have Thyroid Disease. Give me the blood test.
With the rapid weight gain, puffiness, swelling, constant cold chills, mental fogginess, and slurred speech one might think I’d taken too much of the “the drink”, but no. Your thyroid regulates almost every body function we have from your digestive system to your nervous system and lots of things in between. Your thyroid’s ability to work is measured by a number count. This number, optimally, is less than 5.
Mine was 56.
Slurred speech, indeed.
They gave me a pill. Thank God for modern medicine and this little pill that tells my thyroid to work. About a month after taking the medication I started to feel better. Gone were the chills, the puffiness, and I regained most of my mental competency. But I still didn’t feel like myself. I turned to a friend (y’all might know her - it’s Andrea!) who deals with the same disease. She told me the words I never wanted to hear-
You have to change your diet. You have to start exercising.
Awwwww...man. Ain’t nobody want to hear those dreaded words. I just want to eat donuts and wake up feeling and looking fantastic. It worked for the entirety of my twenties.
Thyroid disease is the disease of discipline. Discipline in what you put into your body and discipline in what you do with your body. And discipline is something in which I am wholly lacking.
Discipline. Good habits. Restraint. Self-Control.
Boo.
But in order to just feel normal and back to my old self I had to shape up.
So here I am into week 3 of a new, healthy, clean diet. I eat the foods that promote thyroid function and stay away from too much sugar and gluten. I even started to exercise.
And guess what?
I feel so much better. Almost completely back to normal. A few people have even told me I’m looking like myself again.
Isn’t this the case with spiritual discipline as well? Knowing the good things we should do to maintain a proper and healthy spiritual life, but we just don’t show the discipline needed for it?
Our choices matter, friend. Our choices matter and they are important. It matters if I open my Bible every day. It matters if I pray consistently throughout the day.
It matters.
Physical discipline and spiritual discipline are much the same. If I put good things into myself physically I’ll feel better, look better, and a have a better attitude. So it goes with spiritual discipline: the good things I put into my heart will make me feel better, shine brighter, and inspire others.
We hear discipline and think it’s such an awful word, but discipline from the Lord is actually a gift.
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and self discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
God designed our spiritual selves to be disciplined as well. A life devoted to the practice of prayer and bible study will reap rewards of emotional stability, sure footing in hard times, and a clear and easy conscience.
I’ve thought about what God is teaching me through this disease. This disease that got to me so young. What does my lazy thyroid need to bring to me now? At this time in my life?
You got it:
Discipline. Doing the same, good things each and every day - even when I don’t feel like it and my taste buds are yelling for that delicious pizza in the staff room fridge. Doing the good and right thing and training yourself to do so is a gift. And what a wonderful gift God has given me. When we form good habits and teach ourselves to stick to these habits we become our best selves.
Is there an area of your life in which you need to have more discipline? Turn that area over to God, ask Him to renew you and give you the strength to form better habits. Remember this isn’t a pass/fail test where God ends up mad at you. God wants good things for your life. He is your biggest encourager and cheerleader. He wants to give you the gift of discipline for your good and His glory.
This new discipline in my life has brought me into better health and, honestly, has made me proud. Who knew I could do hard things so willingly? I know you can do this, too.
While I've got you here, let me announce our 10 Days of May Giveaways! Come to our Facebook page each day starting May 21 and see what we're giving away! Comment and share the picture for a chance to win the giveaway. Every day a new giveaway! Winners will be announced at 8:30 each night. We are so excited to bring this to you!
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