Have you ever paused a moment, and realized that even though you know what you need to do, you’re not doing it?
I’m rather annoyed with myself, because that’s exactly where I am right now.
I have willingly accepted taking on much more stress and responsibility. Because I’m removing it from someone else’s shoulders, temporarily. Because they need the break. They deserve the break.
So, I figure for 3 months, I can handle some extra responsibility.
Except, I made a fatal flaw.
I failed to mentally and emotionally prepare to handle all of this additional stress. And I allowed the stress to overwhelm me.
How incredibly easy does this happen to all of us? We allow the external forces in our lives take over, and we, quite literally, lose our dadgum minds. We don’t allow the stress to be managed in a healthy and appropriate way, and we get sick (which I did) and grumpy (that definitely happened).
And then, inevitably, we end up wallowing in self-pity.
Ok, maybe I wasn’t so much wallowing in self-pity so much as I let the grumpiness seep through every aspect of my life. I let that take over, and I just had a bad attitude about, well, lots of things. I had a bad attitude at God. God, why am I going through this? God, why do I feel like this? God, why aren’t things just working out how they are supposed to? God, why don’t people just do the things they’re supposed to do?
Basically, the long list of questions I was asking God, and having a bad attitude toward was really my own fault. Because…I didn’t do the thing I knew I was supposed to do.
I SAID that I had all of my trust in God.
But what I really meant is that God is totally in charge, but I’m still going to worry about it, and tell God how I want Him to handle my problem.
Ok, so now that I know all of that, and I have realized all of that…I can move forward.
First, I can now channel some of the stress that I am feeling into a more positive way.
Second, I can change my attitude.
I got smacked in the face the other day while reading my Bible. The words took a running jump off the page and smacked me in the face. This thing made me realize that I was screwing up in a major way.
I stopped praising and thanking God for the things in my life.
I was still talking to God…about everything. But my attitude toward Him while we were talking just stunk. I had a great deal of stinkin’ thinkin’ going on. And I was whining and complaining to God about all of the things in my life. And while I said I was grateful and thankful…my attitude clearly showed that I was not.
Now, though I am not 100% cured of my negative Nancy-ness…I’m getting there. Though the stress and the worry are still there, the burden upon my shoulders is much less.
I have even started thinking that I am grateful for the stress. Because God has placed me in a position to be able to help. This thing right now, it’s a blessing.
I know, without a doubt, I will one day look back and say I’m glad I did this. I’m glad I got to spend the time doing this.
I. Am. Grateful.
Sawdust and Salvation 