The Slide

It’s an easy thing to do.  You’re going along, living life, meeting the time challenges and life challenges in front of you, putting the nose to that proverbial grindstone.  Then one day you look up and notice the world around you has changed and somehow you missed it.  Your kid is older, your loved one is distant, your friends have moved on.  Life hasn’t stopped because you’ve neglected it, so now it’s neglecting you.

When I’m in the midst of deep challenge, losing perspective is easy to do.  What’s in front of me is pressing and very real; there are intense circumstances that have to be dealt with.  Still, the needs of those around me don’t evaporate.  My children still need a loving, supportive and invested parent.  My friends still need camaraderie and conversation.  And though it’s super easy to forget, I still need downtime, space to re-energize, and yes – laughter.

How do we balance such competing demands?  How do we keep from sliding away from what’s most important in life while still taking care of what’s urgent?  There are so many tasks and deadlines and even life or death decisions to be made, it can feel crushing. 

For me, I have learned the answer is found in being extra vigilant in my walk with God.  I may have 30-40 items in front of me, but God is over each and every one of them.  He is the common denominator, the thread that runs through my day and helps me hold it all together.  Through prayer and discernment, He helps me know what to let go of; He reminds me of what needs attention.  He extends me grace when I don’t get my balance just right, and reminds me to extend grace to myself as well.  When I feel guilty about taking time out of a busy schedule just for me, He reminds me He wired me to need that time, and that I am valuable and worthy of it to boot.  In short, His guidance helps me stay calm and sane in the midst of the storms of life that swirl all around me.

Unfortunately, when our lives get busy I think one of the easiest things to do is let go of our walk with God.  At least it is with me!  I can get caught up in the frenzy of the day-to-day and neglect making time for my creator.  This can be especially true when times are good in my life.  The need I have for God doesn’t feel as pressing, so it’s easy to let it slide.  Yet time and time again I’ve seen that if I let my walk with God slide, all the good things start to slide away as well.  I get caught back up in agendas and deadlines, in competing demands and goals.  I lose that delicate life balance God helps me walk so smoothly.  Worse, when the storms hit, I’m not prepared and ready to engage with a quiet and gentle spirit; I’ve left God somewhere in the dust, and it takes time for me to work through the emotional haze and remember He’s always been standing there right beside me. 

So don’t drift and slide through your life.  Don’t neglect the ones you love and that matter to you.  Don’t neglect yourself.  And most importantly, don’t allow yourself to drift from God.  He is your center, your rock.  King David, a man after God’s own heart, said it best: “My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me,” (2 Samuel 22:3). 

Life is full of challenges, both good and bad, but God is our internal guide that helps us stay on the right path.  Let’s tune into our true GPS (God protection system) through prayer and the word.  Not only will life not slide by us, but we will engage in ways that are more powerful and meaningful than we ever could have dreamed. 

For Further Thought:  Psalm 23:1-4 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”  No matter how busy your schedule, set some time aside this week to spend with God so He can refresh your soul and help guide your path.

The Run-Ahead Life

There are times when life goes faster than you can go.  Whether it’s spiritually, emotionally, physically or mentally, it feels like there’s more day than daytime, more tasks than time, more emotion than you feel you can handle, more to life than you feel capable of carrying.  No matter how it presents itself, feeling overloaded is tough, even if what you’re being overloaded with is full of good things! 

These are the days where even simply starting can be hard because you get overwhelmed before you begin.  You tend to not sleep because your mind is racing with what needs to be done, making that next list before the first one is even half way through.  When I get like this, I start to feel anxious, cranky and impatient, usually with the people I most love. I start taking out my frustration in ways that make the situation worse, not better. 

I have learned three key ideas that have helped me learn to cope with those big life changes.  The first one is found in Luke 12:24-26.  It says, “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”  This idea has changed my approach entirely.  Now, I focus on taking just one step at a time and extending myself grace during a season of being stretched.  I have found if I just tackle step one and accomplish it, I’m ready for step two.  Step two doesn’t seem so hard to complete when I’m only focusing on step 2, not step 11 or 19.  If a few balls momentarily drop in the meanwhile, I let it go.  God has my back.  He will take care of me—and amazingly, He always does!

The second key idea is what I call the Jethro Principle.  Now Jethro was Moses’ father-in-law.  Moses was worn out from all of his duties, and from people coming to him night and day to solve every issue and challenge.  Jethro wisely stepped in and helped Moses organize and delegate responsibility so he wouldn’t have to do everything.  For me, I have learned to ask myself what can wait?  What can be done by someone else?  What are the things only I can do?  No one else can spend time with my daughter, for example.  But someone else can drive her to soccer practice.  Dishes can wait; homework can’t.  No one else can drive the vision for my company, but others can help me perfect and refine it, and even do some of the brainstorming. Thinking this way helps me sort through my choices most effectively. 

My third key is so simple it’s easy to overlook: prayer.  We are told, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:6-7).  It never ceases to amaze me how God will give me the perfect idea, the perfect solution or the best next step during my times of praying with Him.  It can be a thought that comes to me, or just a sudden feeling of knowing, but it happens consistently when I settle my mind and take time to pray.     

The other beauty of prayer is that it helps me to let go of anxiety, and to grab a hold of trust.  God does want my best, and He has already placed inside of me all I need to do a task He has called me to do.  Just knowing that helps me to relax, be at peace, and have confidence He’ll bring me the answers as I continue to seek Him out.  It also reminds me He is in control, so I feel more centered and therefore better able to tackle the next challenge.    

So if, like me, you can find yourself overwhelmed and underprepared, remember you’re not alone.  Extend yourself grace while you’re figuring out your new balance, just as God does to you.  Take that deep breath, let it out and remember—the God of the universe has your back.  Seek Him so He can cover it. 

For Further Thought:  What are some areas you can find yourself getting overwhelmed in?  How might these principles help you to move forward more effectively?