I have a cold. Snotty nose, stuffy head, scratchy throat, miserable nights trying to sleep and breathe, and all that stuff. It’s a nuisance and an inconvenience, but it’s nothing life changing. I’ve learned over the years that colds come and go. There is nothing you can do but take some medicine, drink plenty of liquids, get some rest, and go on with life. Whining and complaining does no good. It only makes you feel more miserable. It’s best to go on about your day, tissue in hand, and live life knowing that one day soon, this too shall pass.
Knowing it’s only temporary seems to be one of the keys to living through a cold without complaint. If I were to contract a cold and someone told me it would last for years, then I think I would complain. I would whine, pout, feel sorry for myself and ask God why He allowed such a hardship in my life. But the common cold that lasts a few days, that I can handle. God has designed my immune system so that it will soon get the upper hand and the cold virus that seeks to invade and infect me will be eradicated. The hardship is temporary. In the end, I win.
I am trying lately, to take that attitude about bigger things. Compared to eternity, this life is so very short and any hardship I face is only temporary. With Jesus as Lord, God is in control. And in the end, I win.
