Injuries

I really hope that this picture is not too graphic but it truly gets the point across. I wonder what went through this man's mind when this horrible injury occurred?!?! What just happened? Why did this happen to me? What am I going to do? Is my career over? Is there a God and why did He do this to me??? If there was a god, he wouldn't let something like this happen to his child!

My injury was along the same lines as this one, I am not a world class athlete but an injury does not care who you are. They will get you anyway. I tripped over a curb while I was running and ripped 3 ligaments in my right ankle. It made a popping sound, I felt something tear, and began to swell to the size of an egg. These questions had not ran through my head...at least not yet. I went to the doctor and they said I would be back in a month, be back in time to play my senior year baseball season, the season I was sure I would shine and make a name for myself. Well a week went by and my ankle started to hurt...hurt to the point of tears...I had no idea what was happening. I went back to the doctors and they realized my injury was a little more serious, so they put me in a cast for ten days and gave me crutches. The questions started to fill my head and my heart began to sink. But I was not going to give up hope, maybe just maybe I would be ok...

Ten days went by and I went to get my cast off, my foot needed a bath. Went to talk with the doctors to receive the results of my ankle. The doc said, "It looks like you tore 3 ligaments in your ankle, it would have been better if you broke your foot. Bones heal much faster then ligaments. We are going to stick you in a boot for 3-4 months and hopefully after a year you will be able to have full function back...count yourself lucky, I have 2 other people that have this injury and are going to have surgery....I don't remember the rest of the conversation. All I remember is the 1 year sentence ringing in my hears. That's when the questions started, and they came with a vengeance!

This took me out of baseball as well it took me out of the Awana Games, which was a international Bible competition. In the Awana games we had Bible memory and athletic games and I was the captain of my team. Everything I held dear and identified myself with was taken away from me. I had to surrender my spot to a freshman who was not the most athletic person which broke my heart. But the lesson I learned in that moment will last me my life time.

I learned in that moment to surrender. To give up what I hold dear in faith that there is something better out there. I didn't play baseball anymore but instead I throw the javelin now and just got back from nationals, I was ranked 16th in the nation. Yes, it is D3 but a accomplishment none the less. God took something dear and gave me something that I am so much more proud of and thankful for.

God has a funny way of getting our attention and in the weirdest ways. He knows you and knows what will get your attention and He will use this. Surrendering what we hold dear is one of the most painful things we can do but become one of the most satisfying things later on. Life is full of "injuries", how does He get your attention?

Picture thanks to letsrun.com