More than enough
Cellular phones have come a long way and I have grown dependent on several features that my Android phone offers. One of my favorite apps is ‘Map my Run’. Each month it sends me stats of miles that I got in for the past 30 days. However, when I got my stats for August I was very disappointed, I didn’t even get my weekly average in.
As great as these devices are they can become very demanding. Not only are we now available to take a call most anywhere, we are notified of activity of every social media platform that we are on, and all email that hits our accounts [I have three]. Side note: I have signed up to be informed of prayer concerns for our nation, Israel, right to life, as well as my church prayer chain, so keeping up with that [or the lack of] has me feeling as if I have failed.
Text messages are nice to ask a quick question but to carry on a conversation is time-consuming. Add texting several people at the same time can create more anxiety than it’s worth. Then there are those calendar reminders of scheduled appointments, phone calls that need to be made, and for me personally, auto drafts that hit my banking account.
Managing my phone alone can make me hold my breath with anxiety. And like most of you, I have a job. I also assist a family member with different tasks, from personal care to running errands. And my own mother is in town and I want to include her in my daily life – but it can slow me down. Add in the fact that we only have one vehicle I need to be sure I am picking my husband up from work when he gets out [which varies from day to day].
August seriously flew by so fast and I cannot believe that my month of September is already full! I have caught myself saying under my breath ‘I am so stressed out’ daily [multiple times] these past 6 weeks.
Last week, as I was maneuvering through traffic to pick up my husband, I could feel my body tighten up. My chest was beginning to hurt. I felt as if my brain was going to short circuit. I was doing it again, holding my breath and whispering, ‘I am so stressed out.’
That’s when this question was dropped in my heart;
“Is your peace affected by what goes on around you?”
Knowing where this question came from I answered with the ‘correct’ response; “No, my peace comes from you.”
“Am I not supplying you with enough peace?”
I then thought about what Paul wrote, “But my God shall supply all your needs according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” “I know you supply me with all my needs Papa God”, I said out loud. “I have more than enough peace.”
That’s when I mentally dropped the load I have been carrying. Remembering that we live in this world but should not be absorbed by it, I could feel my anxiety lift. Then I thought of what was making me feel apprehensive and truthfully it is my own demands. Things I placed on myself. Text messages can be answered when I am able to answer them – not as soon as I get them. Emails that are constantly sent to me, I can request only weekly or bi-weekly updates. And I seriously need to set one day a week [the same day] to assist with errands for my relative.
Looking once more to the heavens [Colossians 3:1 MSG] I could feel myself relax again. How did I lose sight of what is important? I am trying to be everything to everyone – that’s not my job. That’s HIS.
So, let me end by saying; if you are feeling anxious and stressed get honest with yourself, see if you aren’t the source of the demands and pressure you feel. Ask Papa God what ‘irons’ you can take out of the fire [so to speak]. And allow the gift of peace [perfect peace] that Jesus gave us to rise up within you.
Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every day challenges.] – John 14:27 AMP Italics mine