As a
Church we have been learning from our pastor the importance of spiritual disciplines.
One of
those disciplines is a key to overcoming the stresses and strains of this
world.
God didn't design us to be busy,
rushing people, but birthed us originally into a garden filled with wonder and
creation. All that God had supplied in that Garden was all humans ever needed.
Unfortunately, sin entered, and man
then had to then rework his relationship with God.
Sin came between us and only
allowing Jesus to take that away can we enter a place of rest again.
I'm not here to preach to you but
give a little biblical background on how entering the rest can happen for
Christians and all who allows themselves to want enter rest.
Over resent years people are
seeking this sense of Calm any which way they can, this may involve downloading
apps, reading books on meditation, finding happy places, exercise or anyway
that helps to empty the mind of the crazy life we lead.
Can we really enter a rest? I
believe that allowing my faith to fully take control of who I am.
Just by stopping for 10mins and
refocusing on my creator allows peace to settle once again.
Over the years the anxiety that
built up in me was starting to control me in a way that I didn't know how I
could ever be calm again. The feeling of sickness every day until about 11am
would be always there. I would worry about the simple things of prepping dinner,
putting washing on etc. This has many gone in my Life but can sometimes re appear
if circumstances are partially difficult.
In the mist of trauma and Life Strains
you must find rest, allowing your spirit to rise and be the ruler of your flesh.
We were not designed to be ruled by what the flesh thinks but overcoming by
that inner being (spirit) to be the controller of who we are.
I can here you questioning, but I don’t
believe like you, why can God even allow these things to happen? You know what
I don't know the answer to that. I just trust him and know that he is
greater than all I do, and he can bring me through even the darkest of storms.
Some techniques that have helped
me, believing in God or not, is to always find time to stop and breathe. Take
yourself to a place that you know does wonders for your soul. For me it is
walking in the woods. Listening and watching creation. I grow up surrounded by
woodland. As a young girl the woods were my playground, when I stop and allow
that noise of the tress rustling it takes me back to happy days.
Take some deep breaths and just
concentrate on what makes you feel content. For me I focus on Jesus and all
that he has done for me maybe. I use an app on my phone to breath with, this is set
every hour to make me just stop, and refocus again with a couple of deep breathes. Over time I have learnt
that when I feel the feeling of anxiety build up, I refocus back onto my breathing.
My Journey
of loss, Cancer and financial difficulties is one that has taught me many lessons.
Each blog post I hope reflects that God can take a ordinarily women like me and
somehow express how I have dealt with these situations. For those that may be
in the mist of very hard circumstances I pray that you find some rest, there is
always hope. Hang on tight.