I’ve been battling Shingles for the last couple of weeks. For those who aren’t familiar – it’s a pretty frustrating disease. First of all – if you’ve had chicken pox then you can get shingles. If you get shingles – you can give other folks the chicken pox. It’s a vicious cycle.

Shingles is a herpes virus that lies dormant in your body until something like stress or weakened physical condition urges it to life. There are several stages and problems – pain, numbness, tingling, flu like symptoms, exhaustion, rash. The list goes on, but suffice it to say – it’s no fun.

I was under a lot of stress both physically and emotionally and I figure that’s problem what triggered this. However, it also brought to mind another life lesson that focuses on the spiritual.

Satan so often uses something from the past to slip us up or cause us pain. Like shingles – it can be something lying dormant in your life for years upon years and then without warning something happens to stir it to life.

The symptoms are identical – pain – numbness – nausea – exhaustion. All the things that make us less effective for God.

As I was lying in bed resting (as this is what seems most helpful) I couldn’t help but think how ironic my situation. The stress had been brought on by something from the past that had been dealt with – it was like an episode of chicken pox. It had been a problem, had made me quite ill, had even left its scars. But I thought I was done dealing with it and that it wouldn’t be an issue. Just like I thought I was completely done dealing with chicken pox.

The neat thing is, that God really helped me to see the situation for what it was – an attack. There was nothing positive to be gained by allowing the past problem to come to light again. It truly had been dealt with and there was no reason to try to resurrect it. There was nothing glorifying to God in breathing life into that mass of decay and rot.

I don’t think there’s anything very positive about shingles either, but my case has been far less severe because we caught it early and I was given anti-viral meds and have heeded the doctor’s advice. I know that many of you have prayed for me as well, and believe me, those prayers are definitely felt and I thank you.

So, I’ve learned another life lesson thanks to shingles, or better still – thanks to God. He always has a way of helping me to see things with different eyes – just when I need it most.

Tracie