Have you ever been in a situation or had a day that was so draining that it made you want to drop your shoulders, give up and hide away? Or maybe you planned something out a certain way, consciously or unknowingly, and when the outcome differed from it, you felt let down? We want to live freely and confidently the path God has set before us, but it's so easy to get trapped by the let downs we face so commonly. My guess is you know precisely what one or both of those feel like. Well, I've had my fair share of those myself too, especially in the last few months. Lately, I've been thinking about what makes us feel this way and how we can adjust our mindset in those difficult times in order to persevere with our feet firmly grounded on the right path, and I've come up with some insights I hope will help or encourage you. Because I know for me at least, when I get caught up in the everyday details or the frequent disasters our world faces, it's extremely easy to lose sight of the hope and future God has promised us-not to mention the concept of overflowing joy that is furthest from my mind. So in those times we feel like giving up, we need to refocus on what we were truly meant for and remember the Lord's numerous promises that He fulfills time and again through His compassion and love for us.
I believe the feeling of disappointment we experience when things don't go as expected or intended is not a direct result of the situation itself, but rather a reflection of the contrast between this world we call our home and the Home and life we were meant for. The main reason we are so easily let down is directly related to the spark of eternity in our heart each of us is born with. You see, when the Creator breathed life into the first humans to walk this earth, He intended for us to remain in a close-knit relationship with Him as our Father and Friend forever. But, as He knew we would, we turned our face from His and attempted to lead our lives apart from Him, trying to accomplish our own definition of success.
So how do we grasp His reach and cultivate our spark of eternity, which can be sown similar to our seed of faith? We look for His hand in the everyday and trust our breakups and breakdowns to become breakthroughs through His goodness and greater plan. No, it's not as simple as it sounds, but once reached, peace is ever present in our lives and we can live in hope again. Ten ways to do this are to:
1. Begin each day with a prayer asking for God to open our eyes to His goodness and faithfulness. There are so many things that go unnoticed by His people as we care only about our busy lives and where we're headed next. Take a moment to realize His presence in your life at all times.
2. Pause throughout your day and give thanks for all He's done for you.God is good all the time and all the time...? All there is to it.
3. When something goes awry, ask God for patience. He is the Giver of all good things and others around us don't deserve to be treated wrongfully when our day just didn't go the way we wanted.
4. Stop sometimes and just realize where you are. Then, 5 minutes ago, two hours ago, in life. Just think and rest in the fact that He is wherever you are, good or bad or somewhere in between.
5. When you're doing especially good or bad, reach out to a close friend and let them know. Ask them how they're doing. You don't need to brag or weigh them down, but they can share your joy or grief. Two is better than one. Always.
6. Listen to your own needs and do your best to take care of yourself. You are made in the image of God and you are the Holy Spirit's temple-treat yourself with kindness.
7. When you feel something you don't want to feel, such as unexpected sadness or rage, step away from the situation, validate your own feelings and if it involves someone else, validate theirs as well, and then let it go and move forward.
8. When something good unexpectedly occurs, look up and smile. Keeps you humble.
9. When you're stressed, find something for each sense and focus on it. You can also listen to quiet music and just breathe, (4-7-8) breathe in for a count of 4, hold for 7, breathe out for a count of 8. Sure to soothe.
10. At the end of each day, thank the Lord for what happened that day. Small or big, it keeps the negativity away and the gratefulness present.
I pray these help you refocus and remember this is not your home, but your Father is with you wherever you go.
May love and grace follow you wherever you may go and His goodness and faithfulness surround you. The light is coming and your blessing is on its way. You are enough and your brokenness is welcome here. :) May you be well.
In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, it is written "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Comments