Lessons From The Sling

December, 2025.

I’ve been recovering from shoulder surgery for the last 4 weeks, and have been in a shoulder sling/immobilizer to keep my arm and shoulder still so it can heal. It’s been a challenge, to say the least! Cabin fever, not being able to drive, debilitating pain and powerlessness are just a few of the high points. 😂

But the experience is yielding some good stuff, too….coaching lessons that are helping me and maybe will help you as well.

1)It’s ok to be needy and weak.

I’ve always thought of myself as fairly capable and self-sufficient. As a professional violinist, I’ve had a performance mentality that transferred into multiple areas of my life. And wow, how this post-op recovery has blown that to smithereens. But…I learned that I can be ok in weakness, that it’s ok to need help, and that I can opt out of ‘performance mode.’ (Shout out to my terrific hubby, Michael, without whom I would not have gotten through this!)

2) Just receive the help! (And ask for help!)

Does anyone else feel awkward accepting help? Does it make you feel guilty? Obligated? Unworthy? This one was hard for me. I had new eyes for Peter, in the Bible, arguing with Jesus when He went to wash Peter’s feet. “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no place with Me.”

There is a time to just RECEIVE. There’s another principle at work here, too: “It’s more blessed to give than to receive,” Jesus taught. It blesses the giver to give the help! And we rob that blessing from the giver when we won’t just let them give to us. Food for thought.

3) At times, good enough is enough.

There are times to strive for excellence, and times to aim for just a minimum. I had to let go of my schedule of accomplishing stuff and hitting daily goals; of having everything squared away all the time. My new, (temporary) daily win: taking a shower! 😂

Did the earth teeter off its axis because I didn’t get a darn thing done most days? No! Welcome to the land of Good Enough. 😅

4)Just because it hurts right now doesn’t mean it will hurt forever.

When we’re in pain in any of its forms, doesn’t it feel endless and hopeless? Like this is your lot, forevermore?? We get in a tunnel of physical or emotional pain, and it seems like a pit we’ll never get out of. I needed this reminder about God: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4

Fellow strugglers, be encouraged today! What lessons are there in your tough situation? What if the thing that looks like a handicap is actually moving you forward?