Have you ever thought about any benefits from being sick - I mean really bad sick, like suffering a heart attack or breast cancer? How on earth can anyone find something good coming out of such a bad circumstance?

Yet research found that of a number of people who had these serious illnesses, 51 percent reported healthy lifestyle changes. 58 percent said they had a greater appreciation of life and health. And 24 percent reported improved close relationships. Dealing with heavy problems brought about good reevaluation and positive change.

Answer this question: if you found out today that you only had three months to live, what would be the most important thing to you? What would cease to be important? Don't wait for a crisis to look at your problems.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:6-8 TNIV).