Should I not consider it a blessing?

This is a re-post of an old post. With the date of Gen. Jackson's death having just past, May 10th, 1863, I thought about this story once again and thought I would re-post it. :

I have been thinking about what Gen. Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson said after he was wounded by his own men during the victorious battle of Chancellorsville. Gen. Jackson had just led one of the most daring flanking maneuvers of any army up until that time and trying to follow up the day's victory he pressed for a night attack. Venturing beyond his own lines he and his staff were mistaken for the enemy and Jackson was shot, I believe, twice. One of Jackson's arms had to be amputated below the shoulder and this is where I will pick up the story. R.L. Dabney in the Life and Campaigns of Lt. General T.J. (Stonewall Jackson) says this:

"His first act, after receiving refreshments, was to request Lieut. Morrison to go to Richmond, and bring Mrs. Jackson to his bedside. He then admitted his chaplain, Rev. Mr. Lacy, who had just arrived, and learned his misfortune, to his tent. As he entered, and saw the stump where the left arm had lately been, he exclaimed in distress, "Oh, General! what a calamity!" Jackson first thanked him, with his usual courtesy, for his sympathy, and then proceeded, with marked deliberation and emphasis, as though delivering his Christian testimony touching God's dealing with him, to speak in substance thus; and at a length which was unusual with his taciturn habits. "You see me severely wounded, but not depressed; not unhappy. I believe that it has been done according to God's holy will, and I acquiesce entirely in it. You may think it strange; but you never saw me more perfectly contented than I am to-day; for I am sure that my Heavenly Father designs this affliction for my good. I am perfectly satisfied, that either in this life, or in that which is to come, I shall discover that what is now regarded as a calamity, is a blessing. And if it appears a great calamity, (as it surely will be a great inconvenience, to be deprived of my arm,) it will result in a great blessing. I can wait, until God, in his own time, shall make known to me the object he has in thus afflicting me. But why should I not rather rejoice in it as a blessing, and not look on it as a calamity at all? If it were in my power to replace my arm, I would not dare to do it, unless I could know it was the will of my Heavenly Father."

Oh that we could look upon our own trials with this peace and confidence in the wisdom of God. Do we not think of so many things that are hindrances in our own minds? Yet, if we are thinking rightly about Christ and resting in Him, those same burdens could truly be blessings. For in Christ we have a joy set before us, and a joy we can experience now.