Hidden Blessings of Sickness

For the past few days I have been in bed with a stomach bug and even though this was not fun it was a time of rest.  In fact it was more rest than I have had in a long time and I must say that was a blessing.  Today, being the Lord's day, my family went off to church and I had to stay behind so as not to bless those around me with something they might not want.  While I was home I watched two of my favorite teachers on line and was very encouraged!  God gave me two things to chew on and one was that I can either have the God of All comfort or I can have the comforts of this world.  One leaves us empty the other sustains us.  I really had to question what I wanted in my own heart and the Lord did show me that at times I wanted the comfort of this world more.  It is a challenge that I will continue to put before me to help evaluate what I am choosing to do.  God also encouraged me with a message on David, A Man After God's Own heart.  The teacher said that even though David was not perfect there were some things in his life that pointed to evidence for why David was a man after God's own heart.  The points were that it started with a personal relationship with the Lord, then a hunger for God's word ( Psalm 119:15-16 & Psalm 105 ), a prayer life ( Psalm 5:3 ) and how David said he would eagerly watch what God would do, he placed his faith in God when he faced difficult times, he had a strong desire to obey God ( he could have taken Saul's life at certain times but chose not too )..he'd rather be obedient than be a king, he had a heart of humility and a spirit of a servant.  These really encouraged me in my walk and gave me much to think about.  One of the questions that really got my attention was this:  What is there in my life that I'd rather have than obey God?  Outwardly we can look so obedient yet be so far from the Lord in our hearts....Praise the Lord, He is always working on the behalf of His children and it is His desire to grow us into His likeness!  I am thankful He shows me these things and doesn't leave them lurking....now may I be stirred and changed not just stirred! That is my prayer.