Hidden Gifts: Part 2

Sep 25

2 min read

Let's talk a little more about the benefit of these hidden gifts. If we have a trial, or a difficult child, we can be stuck there and feel hopeless or angry. "This isn't fair. I'm stuck. The child is the problem...." This doesn't get you anything except frustration and hopelessness. The better option would be to find the hidden gift within that child or trial. This requires us to have a humble heart. These trials whether through our children or a circumstance, have the potential to drive us to soften our hearts. That's one hidden gift we can receive.

Stephen R. Covey said, "I have come to believe that humility is the mother of all virtues. Humility says we are not in control, principles are in control, therefore we submit ourselves to principles. Pride says that we are in control, and since our values govern our behavior, we can simply do life our way. We may do so but the consequences of our behavior flow from principles not our values. Therefore we should value principles." The Seven Habits...,322)

Hidden gifts and principles are interchangeable. In my life, it's been through the challenges where I've learned how to live in peace and harmony. These principles have therefore become my gifts that were only uncovered through a conscious choice to be teachable. Hidden gifts create internal abundance.

Here's the tricky part: Sometimes these gifts are left "unopened". When we obsess over a problem or the negative in our lives, we are saying to the perfect Gift Giver,

"No thank you. I don't have time for this increased [clarity, wisdom, and peace] that I really need right now. I'm too busy with this problem. I need to figure this out first (or my problem goes away) then I can start enjoying life and thinking clearer."

or worse

"This increased [clarity, wisdom, or peace] that I really want, just isn't possible for me and my life."

This sounds ridiculous, but does this feel familiar?

The neat part about these hidden gifts is, in the thickest of challenges, these gifts give the greatest joy. This abundance can be found in peaceful as well as trying times.

"Most people want to change the world to improve their lives, but the world they need to change first is the one inside themselves." - John C. Maxwell

What are these hidden gifts?

These can be anything that add light, peace, freedom, or truth to your life. Gifts are not anything that make you feel good. Just like Stephen Covey said, principles are based on truth. The consequence is what can show us the value of each of these.

These gifts (or principles include (but are not limited to):

Humility Love