Our church took a bunch of guys on a Men’s Retreat a couple of months ago to Discovery Ministries, near Eminence, Missouri. While we were there, I slipped and fell, and cracked a bone in my elbow. The recovery has been teaching me some important lessons.

I really don’t have a very good story about how it happened. The state park at Johnson Shut-Ins was open, but the roads in the park were closed to vehicles because of the high waters. Park staff told us we were able to walk back to the shut-ins, though, so we decided to go.

At one point, there is a marshy fen area, which was flowing over the roadway. It was mossy, and I tried to gingerly step through it, but slipped on that moss and went down. I landed on my elbow, giving it a slight fracture, and some further injures that didn’t show up until later. As it turns out, that fall caused some nerve damage that may take several months to fully heal. In the meantime, my left arm is weak, lacks precise motor functions in a couple of fingers, and is either numb or on fire with that “pins and needles” feeling.

It’s actually kind of frustrating and annoying more than anything else, because I can’t do all the things that I’m used to doing.

In the meantime, it’s spring, and we have a yard full of grass, and a garden full of vegetables… and weeds. And I can’t really do anything about it. I want to mow the yard. I want to weed the garden. I want to get outside and do those kinds of things but I can’t right now.

And yet, those things are still getting done. Several people have stepped in to help me out with those things. A couple of guys from our church have been over to help my son with the lawn care, and my wife has been maintaining the garden on her own.

One one hand, that, too, frustrates me. It’s hard to accept the help, because that means I have to admit that I can’t do it. But what I have learned — or rather, re-learned — is that sometimes, I have to allow others to be a blessing in my life, and allow them to serve God. Sometimes I just have to shut up and be thankful.

The main lesson for me though this is a reminder that God works to impact my life through more people than just me. He uses the church to be the church, to come together to meet the needs of others. Sometimes, that happens through a simple activity like pulling weeds. Other times, it may take the form of pushing a lawn mower around for a while.

When I am able to, I’m sure I will have plenty of opportunities to serve others. Right now, God is teaching me how to allow others to do the same for me. And for that, along with the chores they accomplish, I am thankful.

Question: How has God used difficult circumstances to teach you important lessons? What happened? You can leave a comment by clicking here.