Smooth sailin'

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace –  (1 Corinthians 14:44)

Sometimes I have to force myself to settle down. Sometimes it doesn’t come so easy or natural. There are easy-going days when things seem to flow and there is space in between to catch a breath and relax between the “doing”. And then there are days where it’s one thing after another. And you don’t have a minute’s peace to yourself.

But I’m not talking about those days really. I’m talking more about days when I start thinking about all kinds of future things and expectations and what-ifs. Thinking all day long about overwhelming things that haven’t happened.  Commitments. Responsibilities. Anticipations. Potential problems, barriers, obstacles. And the time needed to accomplish it all. Yes, thinking can be very draining. More draining than the doing.

Successful people have a way of breaking things down into smaller bites. They set a reasonable goal for each day. They don’t obsess about potential interruptions or a change in course. They seem to have a plan but also still rely on a higher power to see things through to completion.

In almost all things, there is a beginning, middle and end. At some point, you go through all three. And you can do it in a frantic, panic state. Or a progressive, staging process state. One definitely seems more appealing. You’re going to end up at the end either way. Why not take a more steady, more manageable approach?

Maybe we need to pay attention to our daily emotional health. Are you constantly on edge, chasing, running, struggling, in a whirlwind?  When you’re with God, everything that needs to get done, will be done. He is the Master of both order and peace. Trust in Him. He settles the stormy seas by His presence (Luke 8:23-25).