So everyone is demanding things of me and this tense feeling is rising up in my chest and I want everyone to leave me alone. I want to run away and hide.
I might need some time out. But sometimes it isn't possible. If I can't change my circumstances can I change myself to fit my circumstances?
I start muttering...Not again! Can you just be quiet for 5 minutes!
Every request produces an inward sigh. "Mummy can I have something to eat (15 minutes after eating!)"...sigh..."Mummy the Internets not working (haven't you heard of a thing called a book?)"...sigh...
Could the issue behind this sort of inward groaning and complaining be unbelief?
Usually when I am overwhelmed things have got to a point where I am feeling like I have got nothing left to give. This tank is empty kids!
Now let's say when we are starting to verge toward this line of thinking we were to affirm, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4 v 13)", we could choose to believe that we in fact are capable of rising to the challenges of the day no matter how far we are pushed, no matter how exceedingly irritating circumstances are, or no matter whether everything we taught our children seems to have floated away on the breeze that day...
The trick isn't to deny our physical tank is indeed empty, but to agree that God is capable of infusing his strength and unlimited resources into us exactly when we need! (And when our family needs!).
And sometimes we will just have those days and weeks. And I know some of you will have those months and years and even lives where you may be facing a challenge and privilege such as caring for a disabled child or relative and you feel permanently stuck on 'empty'. God sees and knows your struggle and he has unlimited resources of strength- he wants to pour this into your heart in his love to enable you. Because what you are doing is so important. God himself in his very nature is a caregiver- when we love and care for others- we are imitating God in his very heart.
I might need some time out. But sometimes it isn't possible. If I can't change my circumstances can I change myself to fit my circumstances?
I start muttering...Not again! Can you just be quiet for 5 minutes!
Every request produces an inward sigh. "Mummy can I have something to eat (15 minutes after eating!)"...sigh..."Mummy the Internets not working (haven't you heard of a thing called a book?)"...sigh...
Could the issue behind this sort of inward groaning and complaining be unbelief?
Usually when I am overwhelmed things have got to a point where I am feeling like I have got nothing left to give. This tank is empty kids!
Now let's say when we are starting to verge toward this line of thinking we were to affirm, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4 v 13)", we could choose to believe that we in fact are capable of rising to the challenges of the day no matter how far we are pushed, no matter how exceedingly irritating circumstances are, or no matter whether everything we taught our children seems to have floated away on the breeze that day...
The trick isn't to deny our physical tank is indeed empty, but to agree that God is capable of infusing his strength and unlimited resources into us exactly when we need! (And when our family needs!).
And sometimes we will just have those days and weeks. And I know some of you will have those months and years and even lives where you may be facing a challenge and privilege such as caring for a disabled child or relative and you feel permanently stuck on 'empty'. God sees and knows your struggle and he has unlimited resources of strength- he wants to pour this into your heart in his love to enable you. Because what you are doing is so important. God himself in his very nature is a caregiver- when we love and care for others- we are imitating God in his very heart.
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