Lately, I almost always *feel* like I live on the very edge of my capabilities and even the least little thing can cause it all to topple over. I *feel* like I'm just bouncing from one obligation to the next. Most of the time, I just *feel* overwhelmed by it all. To be honest, the last few months have been spent exactly this way!
But, occasionally... if I STOP & consider it objectively for a moment... I catch a fleeting glimpse of the illusion. You see, I'm busy... but, I don't think I'm really all *that* busy! In those rare moments, I can see that it's more of a state of mind than a reality.... sort of like a switch that just gets left 'on'.
I was reminded of this little saying recently: "If the devil can't keep you sinning, he'll keep you busy." OK - right off the bat - I see a problem with the implied idea that someone might be sinless... but that's not really the point of the phrase, so I'll move on. The point being made is that 'busy-ness' can be used as a tool by Satan. In the midst of my hectic mindset - it gave me a bit of a pause.
There's no denying that our culture today encourages a non-stop lifestyle. It's like a merry-go-round... always in motion, but never really reaching a destination. The ride may be nice for a little while... but honestly, after a couple of rounds, I'm feeling pretty sick. So, too, my days leave me when that rush switch gets left 'on'. I may actually only have a few things on my schedule, but because I'm always focusing on the NEXT thing.... "NOW" gets wasted. At the end of the day, I'm left with a sense of regret & remorse at the time that has slipped by.
So, is this Satan's handiwork? Or, is it simply the result of my own bad choices? I'm guessing it's somewhere in between... maybe a trap that is laid out before me, but definitely my choice that triggers it. I may not know the exact cause... but I'm pretty sure I know where to turn for a solution.
The first scripture that comes to mind is the often quoted passage of Psalm 46:10: "Be still and know that I am God." I think we collectively yearn for this here in our hurried land... this call to "be still". I don't know about you... but to me it has a sound of greatly desired peace & tranquility. But, here's what I'm thinking: if I am having trouble finding the stillness, perhaps it's because I fail to heed the next few words... "know that I am God." You see, knowing that He is God means giving up my claim to being the god of my own little world. It means submitting daily (moment by moment, even) to His plan instead of charging ahead with my own. Knowing that He is God requires that I spend time in His Word & in prayer... not just seeking His guidance, but acting upon it, as well. If I take an honest look at my situation, I just might see that this hurried, hectic state of mind is the result of straying from God's lordship over my everyday life.
For the last couple of weeks, I've been bemoaning to a few of my friends the idea of another fast-paced Christmas season... wishing that I could find a way to make it more meaningful & truly joyous, but not quite sure how to make it happen.
As it turns out... maybe I do, after all!
Wishing you a Christmas season
filled with the blessings of
being still and knowing that He is God!
3 comments:
I don't know how I missed this post! You really made me think! It really is about the attitude and what we think on! Satan then has a field day. Hope your Christmas season has had peace from our Father!
Jess was the winner of my little blog giveaway. She was providing info relating to that in her comments above. So... just for clarification, I removed her post for that reason - not because of anything inappopriate. :)~D
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