Worth Fighting For

I had a lot of "why me" moments shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer several years ago. After the initial shock wore off, I started to think, "Why not me?" Breast cancer is incredibly common. One in eight women are diagnosed with the disease. When I looked around at my circle of girlfriends, I was glad it was me and not one of them who had to go through that battle. Still, I would throw the occasional pity party now and then.

I realize now that it is such a privilege to think this way, but I truly questioned why I would have to be the one to fight for my life when so many other people just get to enjoy theirs. I wondered why I had to fight to make it to my kid's graduation, to my 50s, to next Christmas. Why did I have to fight to do things I didn't even like, such as laundry and housekeeping and cleaning the litter box? "Why the fight?" is a question I asked God over and again. And honestly, I didn't really receive an answer until I was on the other side of the battle.

I realized I had to fight for my life so I could love it the way I do. That resonates so deeply within my soul that, nowadays, I often say, "I got to fight..." rather than "I had to fight..."

I'm not going to throw any nonsense out there that cancer was a blessing. It was not. Blessings emerged from the trial, of course. But cancer sucked.

What didn't suck is realizing that when we fight for something, it becomes so much more worthy of fighting for.

This is a life lesson I've had to remind myself of too often. I frequently lament how difficult certain things can be. My little family has been in a tough season for a couple of years. I want to grumble over how hard it is. How unfair. How undeserving we are of this current struggle. Then I remember how much sweeter and richer life will be when we get to the other side. Because we fought for it.

Everything worth having is worth fighting for.

It's that simple. And that complex. All at once.

We don't like when things get challenging. It's uncomfortable. We want everything to come easily... love, health, money, home, work, family. But when things are effortless, we often take them for granted. Don't we?

And it isn't just about fighting for something so we will appreciate it more. It's also that something becomes more intrinsically valuable once it has been fought for. If you've ever had someone fight for you, you know how it feels inside to be worth that.

I'm not suggesting that anyone approach a cancer patient and say, "Hey, you're going to love your life so much more because you get to fight for it." Please. Do. Not.

I'm also not suggesting that someone struggling to have their basic needs met will be blessed by the fight. I do not agree that anyone anywhere should have to fight for their basic needs.

What I am suggesting is inviting perspective to your next pity party. We are being refined through every trial. Our gratitude muscles are stretched and built through struggle. It is often the hardest seasons that bring us closest to God.

You won't always be able to see the blessings of the moment you're in. I know I often cannot. But, you will likely get to the other side of this season- because all seasons pass, both good and bad- and everything you've fought for will be so much more gratifying.

When I feel down, when I feel sorry for myself because life Is hard at the moment, when I look around and feel like I'm the only one whose struggling, I remind myself that what I'm fighting for is worth it. And that worth will grow every second I'm in the fight.

Xoxo, B