Dealing with the Stress of Life

Talking with my wife about this week's activities, I was reminded of when I was a young boy. There was a game I liked to play, we would set up chairs and balls and brooms and all sorts of obstacles and we would see who could make it past all of them the fastest, without touching any of them. We called it an "obstacle course," you might be familiar with that game.
 
This week is particularly busy for us; that is what reminded me of the obstacle courses I would love going through as a child. When going through the different challenges, I never worried about what was coming up ahead, I just focused on the task at hand, enjoyed it, accomplished it, and moved on to the next until I had cleared all obstacles. Life is very much like this, some weeks more than others.
 
The interesting part about this game was that it was not a stressful game. I was not stressed or anxious or nervous about it, but it was fun and enjoyable. I think looking at life with that same approach can be very beneficial sometimes. Isn't that what life really is, an obstacle course that we are to go through?
 
Now, let me clarify, the activities that we have going on this week are of no great significance, they are just part of the business of life. We are busy preparing for an upcoming trip to visit some friends, getting ready and shopping for a dog that will be joining our family on Thursday evening, cooking and delivering two meals to a couple of new mothers at church, involved with the activities related with raising two children under two years old, dealing with some impending deadlines at work, as well as a day-trip to a nearby state on Thursday morning, and keeping up to date with ministry activities, including hosting a community group meeting on Wednesday night, and writing for this blog. Failure to accomplish most of the items in this list will not result in any kind of negative long-term consequence. I will not loose my job, go bankrupt, go hungry, or have my home foreclosed, those are different. As a matter of fact, if I play my cards correctly, I will not even miss my bedtime.
 
However, it is still easy to get stressed out and anxious over having a packed-out schedule for the week. To be honest, this week is so packed that, if I am not careful, I would start feeling suffocated and overwhelmed. That is why keeping the right perspective is so important, it will help you remove large amounts of stress that are related to simply being alive.
 
Today, I want to challenge you to look at the obstacles in your life as a challenge to be enjoyed, instead of a chore or nuisance to be dealt with. Take one day at a time, one obstacle at a time, and ENJOY WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!
 
Look at the activities in which you are involved in an objective way. Judge them according to how important they are, focus on those things that have significant consequences, and don't worry about the others; they are just there to keep your life entertaining.
 
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:34, ESV
 
 
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4

Enjoying You Life-Ride

I took my son to my neighbor's swing this weekend and started thinking about the way I push him. The first time I took him out there, I quickly decided that I would push my child from the front instead of the back. That way he could still see me smile at him, and I would get to see him laugh and enjoy himself. This way we would swing together instead of me acting like a simple robot. It is a little more difficult but worth the effort.

This time, however, I started swinging him faster and faster until he started getting a little scared, which at this point I slowed down. As I was reflecting on his fear, it dawned on me that we, as followers of Christ, go through very similar experiences with Him.

Lets analyze what went on. The swing was perfectly safe; I made sure of it. I could have pushed my child much harder and faster than he was going without any danger. He became scared because of two things. First, he did not understand what was going on; the additional speed was a new experience to him. Second, he did not trust me, probably because he was not aware that I had insured his safety through the activity.

How similar is that to our relationship with God?!?! I go through that process all the time. God will try to push me a little higher, and a little faster, knowing that I would enjoy the ride. All the while, I am terrified of the new height and speed simply because it is new to me, I do not understand it, and I do not trust that He has insured my safety!!!

Additionally, God is a relational God. He wants to go through the ride with us, looking at us, smiling at us, seeing us enjoy the ride while He pushes us and leads us through this life!!

However, unlike me, God will ask you ahead of time and give you the choice to refuse the "enhanced experience."

Do you continually refuse God's higher levels? If so, why? Are you afraid of something new? Do you trust that God has insured your safety?

Do You Enjoy Your Life?

"Dear God, thank you for making so many wonderful things for me to enjoy, and thank you for loving me most of all. Amen."Michelle Medlock Adams, How Much Does God Love You?

I love this prayer. My wife reads it to our fifteen-month-old child almost every night, yet I never quite grasped the full meaning of it until last night. God gave us life so we may enjoy it. He made everything on earth for us, because He loves us. He created an amazing world, full of things that we may enjoy. He created a universe of wonders for us, so we may wonder at His Glory and praise Him; yet we go through our every day life ignoring all these things, focusing on our problems and lack.

"There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, ESV

There is so much out there for us to enjoy, let us start looking at what we have instead of what we don't. Let us start looking for, and finding, enjoyment in life, and praising Him for it.

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24, ESV

Father, thank you for this piece of revelation. Thank you for changing our hearts and attitudes so we can start looking for those things in life that we can enjoy, and start trusting you with the other parts of life that cause us pain and fear. Thank you for how good you are. Thank you that we can trust you with our very lives. Thank you that you love us infinitely and, in your wisdom and power, you protect and guide us. Amen.