May has been a hard month. I went into more detail about the last week on my other blog, here. I have found myself repeatedly questioning the stupidity of choosing this month to deny myself the pleasure of indulging in eating out.
I'm struggling with stress and I'm finding that the things that used to help alleviate it, albeit for a short time, are no longer working. A cup of good coffee, some time on facebook, a quick game of Scramble, or a favorite show are no longer filling the void.
I was thinking it about it yesterday and realized, those things were never meant to bring me peace. I am supposed to rely on the grace of God.
I say I do that and in crisis situations, I actually do, but in the day to day - the stress of real life - not so much.
One of the reasons we have received the children that we have, including Bogdan, was because we realized that coming to the end of ourselves is a good thing. However, now that I have arrived at the point where I truly cannot handle this life on my own, I find myself frustrated that my former pacifiers don't work.
I don't want to invest the time in cultivating a relationship with the One who brings me peace. It might take too long. Better to fritter away what little extra time I have on things that are quick and fleeting and don't actually help.
And so I wallow in a constant state of frustration and stress and irritability and it is no way to live.
Pick up my Word, fall on your knees, lift up your hands. Call on Me!
Rest sounds amazing. Rest sounds like the opposite of stress and frustration. Rest sounds like living.
I choose life.
I'm struggling with stress and I'm finding that the things that used to help alleviate it, albeit for a short time, are no longer working. A cup of good coffee, some time on facebook, a quick game of Scramble, or a favorite show are no longer filling the void.
I was thinking it about it yesterday and realized, those things were never meant to bring me peace. I am supposed to rely on the grace of God.
I say I do that and in crisis situations, I actually do, but in the day to day - the stress of real life - not so much.
One of the reasons we have received the children that we have, including Bogdan, was because we realized that coming to the end of ourselves is a good thing. However, now that I have arrived at the point where I truly cannot handle this life on my own, I find myself frustrated that my former pacifiers don't work.
I don't want to invest the time in cultivating a relationship with the One who brings me peace. It might take too long. Better to fritter away what little extra time I have on things that are quick and fleeting and don't actually help.
And so I wallow in a constant state of frustration and stress and irritability and it is no way to live.
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV)Choose life so that you may live. I can almost see God raising His hand saying, "Pick me! Pick me! Put away the cupcake, drive past the drive thru, put down the remote, silence your phone, turn off the laptop.
Pick up my Word, fall on your knees, lift up your hands. Call on Me!
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28He will give me rest.
Rest sounds amazing. Rest sounds like the opposite of stress and frustration. Rest sounds like living.
I choose life.
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