What Do I Do With This?

Learning to Receive the Unwanted Gift with Humility, Grace, and Faith

Have you ever been handed something you didn’t ask for?
Not just a physical gift wrapped in paper and bows—but an experience, a comment, a compliment, a circumstance, or even a cross?

Maybe someone gave you something with sincere intentions—and it still landed awkwardly.
Or maybe life handed you something that felt more like a burden than a blessing. And all you could think was:

What do I do with this?

That’s exactly where I found myself recently. And to be honest, it stirred something deeper than I expected. This moment—small and seemingly insignificant—became a mirror. A moment of formation. A chance to reflect on what it means to receive, especially as someone who’s used to giving, doing, producing.

This blog isn’t about ungratefulness. It’s about the tension. The pause. The internal wrestling.
It’s about learning to let go of control and receive what is, not just what you wanted.

Because sometimes the gifts we didn’t ask for… become the very ones God uses to stretch us, humble us, or reveal something in us we weren’t ready to face.

Let me tell you a story.

The Gift I Didn’t Ask For

It wasn’t a big moment. Just a small, kind gesture from someone who meant well. But the moment it landed in my hands, I felt it in my gut:

I don’t want this.

Not because I didn’t appreciate the heart behind it. I did.
But because something about it made me feel… misunderstood. Or boxed in. Or simply uncomfortable.

And still—I smiled. Said thank you. Nodded graciously.
All the while thinking: What do I do with this?

I carried that question into the rest of the day. It followed me into my quiet time, into prayer, and even into my workout.
And eventually, it surfaced as more than just a passing thought. It became an invitation.

The Deeper Invitation: Why Receiving Can Be So Hard

I’m a giver by nature. A coach. A mom. A wife. A helper.
I know how to show up. I know how to offer. I know how to work hard, show grace, and serve.

But receiving? That’s another story.

Receiving means surrender.
It means I didn’t get to choose.
It means I don’t have control.
It means someone saw something in me—or for me—and acted on it.

And maybe that’s the point.
Maybe God was allowing this moment to stretch me in a way I didn’t know I needed. To reveal the parts of my heart still resistant to being seen, known, or gifted—especially when it didn’t come on my terms.

Gifts in Disguise: The Unwanted, the Uncomfortable, the Unchosen

We often talk about gifts as blessings. As good things. As what we want.

But sometimes, gifts come wrapped in suffering.
Or in silence.
Or in awkward conversations.
Or in a stroke you didn’t see coming.
Or in a compliment you didn’t know how to receive.
Or in a setback that pushes you closer to grace.

The body you have today—even if it’s not what you asked for—might be one of those gifts.

The change you didn’t choose. The diagnosis you didn’t want. The person who rubbed you the wrong way.
These things might all be gifts in disguise—not because they feel good, but because they open up a space in you that only God can fill.

A Reflection on Humility: Mary, the Unexpected Recipient

I couldn’t help but think of Mary, the Mother of God.
She didn’t ask for the angel Gabriel to show up that day. She didn’t have a Pinterest board labeled “Mother of the Messiah.”

And yet… when presented with a holy and unexpected gift, her response wasn’t rejection or resistance.
It was receptivity.

“Let it be done to me according to Your word.”

That’s not passivity. That’s holy strength. The kind of strength that receives, not because it understands, but because it trusts.

I wonder what it would be like if we learned to receive like that.

Rebuilding the Body Means Receiving, Too

In my work as a Catholic fitness coach, I help others rebuild strength—physically, spiritually, emotionally.
And often, people come to me ready to do. To work. To change. To act.

But part of rebuilding isn’t just action.
It’s reception.
Receiving grace.
Receiving feedback.
Receiving rest.
Receiving help.
Receiving truth—even when it’s hard.

And yes—sometimes receiving a gift that doesn’t make sense in the moment.

When Compliments Are Hard to Receive

Let’s talk about this one for a second.

Sometimes the gift is a compliment—and it feels like a spotlight you never asked for.

A neighbor notices your progress at the gym. A friend mentions how strong you look. A spouse praises your discipline.

And instead of soaking it in… you shrink. You deflect. You downplay. You smile and change the subject.

Why?

Because maybe deep down, you still believe you have to earn your worth. That your progress doesn’t count yet. That you’re not “there” yet.
Or maybe, like me, you’ve gotten so used to the hustle and humility of recovery that being seen feels… vulnerable.

And that’s the moment to pause. To ask:

Why is this hard for me to receive?
What might God be trying to show me through this?

The Gift You Didn’t Want Might Be the One You Needed

Sometimes the very thing we resist is the thing we’re being called to grow through.

That gift I didn’t want? It became a reflection point.
A chance to surrender control.
A reminder to check my heart.
An opportunity to bring God into the moment—not just as a bystander but as the true Giver.

Because God doesn’t just give us things.
He gives us people.
He gives us moments.
He gives us time.
He gives us opportunities to grow, even when they come wrapped in discomfort.

3 Ways to Handle the Gift You Didn’t Ask For

If you’ve ever found yourself in this place—holding something you didn’t want—here are three ways to handle it with grace:

1. Pause Before You React

Take a breath. Acknowledge your initial feeling without judgment.
Ask God to show you what’s underneath it.

2. Get Curious, Not Critical

Instead of rejecting it outright, ask:

• What does this stir in me?

• Why does this feel hard to receive?

• Is this about the gift—or something deeper?

3. Bring It to Prayer

Sometimes the only way to know what to do with something is to lay it at the feet of Christ.
Let Him reveal whether this is a gift to embrace, a lesson to learn, or a cross to carry.

Rebuild Reflection: Is There a Gift You’re Resisting?

Maybe today, the gift isn’t an object—it’s an opportunity to trust.
Maybe it’s feedback from a coach.
Or encouragement from a friend.
Or time to rest your body when you want to push through.

Maybe the gift is your current stage of life—even though it’s not what you planned.
Maybe the gift is the healing that’s still in process.

Whatever it is… it’s okay to pause and ask:
What do I do with this?

But don’t stop there.

Ask God:
What do YOU want me to do with this?

That’s where the real rebuilding begins.

Final Thoughts: The Gift That Changed My Response

I’m still learning to receive. I still get squirmy when I feel seen in ways I didn’t expect.
But I’m learning that how I receive is just as formative as how I give.

God doesn’t just want my strength. He wants my surrender.
He doesn’t just want my hustle. He wants my heart.

So if you’re standing there with a gift you didn’t want, awkwardly smiling, wondering what you’re supposed to do…

You’re not alone.

And maybe—just maybe—that gift is God’s way of inviting you into something deeper. Something holy. Something healing.

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