August 25, 2004

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  A  Ramble  on  worries    Isn't it interesting how from one day to another, from one moment to the next, our reactions in a given situation can change? Walk through this with me for a moment while I ramble...   I know for myself that my attitude towards things change depending on how much sleep I have had, whether I am under the influence of certain montly cycles and hormones, what I may have been doing that day, etc. In general though, I run pretty even. I am predictable in my reactions: I react strongly but fairly in given situations that would be deemed stressful, and if I am irritated or upset it is very short lived and then I go on with life. There have been moments now and again, but they are infrequent, more so now that I am in my 30s. I am not a dweller, a fretter, or one that tends to live in the moment that stressed me. Is it because I "have it all together"? Is it because I am emotionless? LOL..man that so totally doesn't fit me~ NO It is because if I dwell on something, it tends to make me physically ill. I don't want to suffer migraines and stomach ulcers, diverticulitis and insomnia. Now, there have been occasions when things definitely HAVE gotten to me for a certain period of time, but they are few and far between. When that was happening I realized that this was something extroidinary. Was it a spiritual attack? Was it because something in me physically was out of balance **HELLOOOO HORMONES***? Was it because I had unrealistic expectations or a control issue about a situation? If that was/is the case I tend to earnestly seek to set that right. I don't and WON'T live my life dwelling on the negative, dreading the future or next day, or waiting for the proverbial "axe to fall". I am definitely a "the glass is half full person" if there ever was one.   I firmly believe that God has a reason that he says to "cast your burdens upon me." He knows that these poor bodies and minds we have can't handle the physical, emotional, and spiritual travails that burdens cause us. He wants to take those burdens from us, but we have to be willing to hand them over. This isn't something that the Lord will come up and rip out of our hands. He isn't a puppet master that He pulls our strings so that we will give over what we sometimes clutch so tightly to our chests all the while moaning about the situation. He wants us to voluntarily bring our needs and wants, our fears and concerns to Him beleiving and having faith that He will take care of what we can only worry about.  I don't know if it is my personality that allowed me to some years ago to say " Ok, Lord..this is yours! Go for it. " or what. I just know that I prefer that over the angst and physical aches the stresses and burdens would cause me when I would hold on instead of releasing them to Him. I don't know what makes it difficult for others to do the same.  I want to be an encourager to those whom have trouble doing. Each of us at various times have things that it is hard for us to let go of: physical healing, a trust for a monies to arrive in time, a replacement or repair of a vehicle that we desperately need, a house, conception, our child's education, fuel for heat for the winter...it can go on endlessly. I know that in my own life, God has provided over and over, and never failed to meet daily needs. He has never failed to show me that He has me in mind first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I want to rest in that peace and stand on the remembrances of those times.  I see that same concern and care for His children in others that constantly seem to be in fear or discontent over things in their lives. A schoolyear is upon us: children need clothes: the fretting begins. Why? Hasn't the Father said He WILL SUPPLY our daily NEEDS. Hasn't He said that He will care more for dressing His children more than He cares about the flowers in the field that are more beautiful than Solomon in all his raiment? Why is it that someone can trust God for salvation...eternal life...but not for clothing? for food? for a car? Why is it that people worry about not have money for taking care of the home which God has provided for them * assuming they sought God before buying their home and didn't get what they got only because that is what their eyes lusted after even if their pocketbooks screamed over it*? If God gives you a home, HE WILL give you what you need to take care of maintenance and repairs. Why fret? Talk to Him, turn the need over and wait. Is waiting what is the hard part? Or is it trust? I have a hard time seeing the difficulties involved in that. I don't it judgementally, but if He has proved himself over and over again, why is it we humans have such a hard time believing this next time? Or the time after that?   I watch someone in my life that has over the 16 or so years I have known her, make herself physically ill over the most inane things. I see her constantly suffering from illnesses of the intestinal track that I KNOW are stress induced. Even enjoyable situations become times when she isn't enjoyable to be around because she becomes so stressed that it is no longer fun. At those times I can't be around her. I don't know if it is spiritual or what, but her RE-actions in a given situation make me physically stressed and anxious. I can't live like that. I am so NOT a type A personality! I have watched another woman that I have been on a mailing list for almost 6 years with, fret and worry about daily needs and happenings to the point that no one on the mailing list even want to read her posts. Nothing in her life has changed: today is the same stressed and freaking out over small things that God proved Himself to her on over and over and over and over and over and...well you get the idea. If she would put as much energy into letting God have the situation as she does grousing and fretting, her life and those of her husband and children would be immesurably BETTER. Instead, I sit here month after month watching her cripple her children with her worrying and IT mAKES ME NUTS.   What do people see when they look at you? Are you a believer that REALLY believes? What is it you believe in? Do you beleive He died for you but that is all He cares/cared about?  Or do you believe, that like a lover or a child of our own, He wants to care for and nurture you in all of the ways you care to let Him? When something happens that has the potential to become a worry, do you act, or RE-act? An action has the connotaion of being planned and is thought out before proceeding. A Re-action usually is born out of habits and are done without thought. Is your reaction to hand the situation over to the Lord, or is your reaction to grab it and run??     Blessings...                                Kathie

  
  

   

  • 10:52 pm
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