stress + focus

I am exhausted.

I feel like I have been tired for weeks. When I started this post, I had 2 entire pages of reasons why I was exhausted, and stressed, which led me to write this post in the first place. But no one wants/needs to read about my busy week or my feelings about it. Because the truth is, we are all busy and stressed and worn out and exhausted and in need of a break. And in a way, this is a never-ending cycle. Sure, you go on vacation, or experience seasons of more leisure than others. But ultimately, you are always going to be busy and wishing you had more rest. Don’t we all just wish we could hit the snooze button a few more times? Or come home and go straight to sleep? Aren’t we all longing for rest?

 When reflecting upon all the things keeping me busy (which made it very obvious why I was tired), it came to my attention that something about me was different in these past few weeks: my focus. With everything I had going on, I was completely consumed with life and stuff and people and obligations, lost in all the scenery. I had lost focus of the one thing that I should be most focused on: Jesus.

It is all too easy to get caught up in everything we have going on. When it feels like we can hardly find time to eat and sleep, we seldom leave room for the thing that is most important and requires the most time: our relationship with God. And ironically enough, spending time in his presence is what we really need when we are feeling overwhelmed! Busyness and stress and sadness are just Satan’s evil tactics to take hold of our lives and turn us away from what is important. And if we wish to have true rest and joy, we simply cannot let him have control. After analyzing everything going on in my life today, I had to sit down, search God’s Word for comfort, and communicate with him to make some sense of it all and search for help to tell Satan “no.” Thankfully, there are countless places in the Bible where we are reminded that everything is going to be fine. Better than fine.

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” –Romans 16:20

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” –James 1:2-4

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be discouraged.” –Deuteronomy 31:8

“I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” –John 16:33

“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” –Psalm 32:7-8

“So setting your mind on the world leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” –Romans 8:6

“So do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough worry for itself.” -Matthew 6:34

You are where you are because God has placed you there. Regardless of what you are going through, it is absolutely vital to remember the promises that God offers us. No matter what we are facing or how we feel about it, He is constant.  And so is his grace. And his peace. And his presence. YOU ARE SO LOVED. But if we are too focused on all of the worldly chaos going on around us, we might miss it. We must be ever focused on his face. It is only in his presence that we can truly find rest; rest that lasts. Even in the heat of all the craziness of life, in him we can be at peace.

“Don’t complain about the dark times; there are blessings in the dark places. God is doing something that can only happen in the fire of affliction.”

This week, I am re-reminding myself of the reason I began this journey this year. No matter what may come, no matter how deep the valley seems, no matter how far we feel from grace and hope and love,

we have to choose joy and keep choosing it.

God, thank you for bad days, for bad weeks. They are reminding me of the sweetness of your presence, and the comfort and refuge I can seek in you. I know that you love me, and that I am making you proud, even when I feel as though I am not doing much. Thank you for loving me even when I fail to pay attention to what you are doing in me. Thank you for redirecting my focus, because I need to fix my eyes on you and you alone. Please draw near to me, that I may always be aware of your presence.