Don't Waste Your Autism

I said I didn't want this blog to be about autism because we are so much more than that. But for now I need to get some more things out and tonight I felt compelled to write this.

God has used others in my life to minister to me when I needed it. It is amazing that sometimes when I am at my most down, someone will call, I'll get a letter, or a gift as I got today. There was a package in the mail from someone at my church. We know each other but I would only call her an aquaintance. She bought me a wonderful book that I would highly recommend for anyone who is going through a tough time or who has a relative who is going through a tough time. It's called Suffering and the Sovereignty of God by John Piper and Justin Taylor.

In the back was a short section titled Don't Waste Your Cancer. It really spoke to me and I realized that in many ways right now I am wasting Peters autism. Here is what John Piper has to say (the 10 things are from John Piper, the comments are mine and I've replaced cancer with autism).

Don't Waste Your Autism

1. You will waste your autism if you don't believe it is designed for you by God. Some say they don't believe God would allow bad things to happen to good people. I believe it. It is not because He is being cruel. It always serves a purpose. Peters autism serves a purpose. I may not know it yet and may never know it in this life but God knows and that's what is important.

2. You will waste your autism if you believe it is a curse and not a gift. I am already seeing this. I am seeing the world in ways I never saw it before. Experiencing the compassion of people like I never experienced it before. Loving as I've never loved before. And leaning on God as I have never leaned before.

3. You will waste your autism if you seek comfort from the odds of recovery rather than from God. I will admit I have been guilty of this. I need to come to the place where I will be ok with whatever happens. Because he may never fully recover. I am not there yet but I know I will be if it comes to that.

4. You will waste your autism if you refuse to think about never recovering. I do occasionally think about this but I also don't believe it is good to dwell on these things. But the thoughts have come to my mind and it scares me. But we are not there yet and we will cross that bridge when and if we come to it.

5. You will waste your autism if you think that "beating" autism means fully recovering rather than cherishing Christ. Whether or not Peter ever recovers we can still beat autism by not allowing it to rule our lives. Autism is not our life, it is just a part. Christ is our life and I need to stay focused on him.

6. You will waste your autism if you spend too much time reading about autism and not enough time reading about God. I will admit I have been guilty of this lately. I have been trying to find everything I can on how we can help Peter and have been neglecting the very person who created Him and me.

7. You will waste your autism if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection. I have some pretty amazing friends who have helped me through this. Thank you to everyone who has ever prayed for Peter or thought of our family. We are indebted to you.

8. You will waste your autism if you grieve as those who have no hope. No matter what happens I have a Savior who loved me and my family enough to die for us. This life is just the beginning, just a grain of sand on the vast beach of time. Heaven and eternity with Jesus awaits those who have put their trust in Him. And it makes me smile to think that in heaven Peter will not have to struggle with this.

9. You will waste your autism if you treat sin as casually as you did before. We need to let this diagnose strengthen our faith, not weaken it.

10. You will waste your autism if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ. I hope that this struggle we are going through brings people to Christ rather than push them away. I hope they see me leaning on Christ and not pushing Him away. I hope that no matter what happens that God is glorified and everyone sees that He is still on His throne and worthy to be praised.