(Sharing this post from the past. It’s still so relevant and a great reminder.)
I turned on Joyce Meyer a few days ago, my late night battery re-charger. It was all in the message, STOP RUNNING FROM GOD. Really? I felt like it was without a doubt tailored exclusively just for me. I wanted to pull the blanket over my head and hide, so no one would notice. But I noticed. I was alone. And she was talking to me.
Today matters. Stop running.
This totally resonated with me. It caught up with me and smacked me in the face. I have been running, in a non-stop, purely chaotic way of life. Bouncing from one thing to another.-work, sports, animals, meetings, cleaning up flooded basements, tending to bruises and whines, raising wild chickens and children for that matter, which keeps me endlessly circling on this roller coaster of life, forcing me to put off my writing while trying make sense of my scrambled thoughts. (Totally normal, mind you, when you have a grief-stricken mind, over commit yourself and have four kids going in different directions!)
Totally consumed with children and their activities, I had reached a stagnant point in my life, losing sight of the big picture (Now that I think about it, seems like I’ve been here for nearly a year now.) Time to get moving.
“Running away never sets us free,” said Joyce. What was I searching for? Waiting for or running from? Tired of the mundane and disconnect, I began praying daily for God to speak to me, to show me my path and whatever I was to be doing and to revive me, because I just was not able to focus or find my spot in life and had absolutely no clue what to do with my disheveled self, wondering where God was. Was I too wrapped up with myself and too busy to hear him? Was my faith stagnant?
Absolutely.
And then I remembered.
This is the day that the lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it, I kept telling myself.
Fix what you can today. Appreciate the moment. Live in the present. Everyday is a gift, not to be wasted. Yes, a reminder I desperately needed.
Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
I think at some point, we all go through phases like this in life, where our focus leaves our faith, and we inadvertently refuse to allow time for God, which pulls us away and fogs our mind, creating seasons of anxiety, stress, and confusion. When you’re busy madly taking care of others and tending to tedious daily tasks, overwhelmed with distractions, you unintentionally put your own self on hold, unaware of your needs until you reach the point of a complete meltdown and realize it’s time to regroup.
What have I been missing out on? So much for sure. Let us not forget, we can’t do this alone. We don’t have to carry all our worries or burdens. His word is like medicine. Time to submerge myself in His word and remember His truths. Let God be your guide and everything else will fall into place.
In what ways do you need to regroup or refocus?
May you all see the light unto your path.
P.S. Check out my new logo (below) from my friend Shiela at Strubel Studios. She’s amazing. Look for more exciting updates to come as I get ready for my book launch and new ventures.
With love-
Daphne
