James 1:5 (NKJV)
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
Have you ever had so many things on your to do list that you didn’t know where to start? How about just looking at the list caused you to sit there staring and not be able to move. Maybe your mind would not shut off and kept repeating what you had to do in an endless loop?
We all have days where we can get overwhelmed by what we have to accomplish, but sometimes the list is so long we barely make a dent in it. The five tasks that went undone spill over into the next day which causes eight to get pushed to the day after that, until you have trouble counting what still needs to be done.
As these tasks get pushed forward, our minds can begin to pack this information away until there is no place left for it to go. With no clear path, this is when we may experience parts of our brain shutting down. Our thoughts will not be able to flow freely as they should.
I have had this happen to me several times throughout my lifetime and it never gets any easier. It seems that the older I get, the more the information overload can affect how I can mentally handle it. I feel so tired that I want to lie down or sit staring to the point where I cannot move. I am unable to see a clear starting line.
I have attended and taught classes on goal setting. We are supposed to sit down and take a serious look at what all we need to get done in our lives to take us into the future. This is where we need to plan out the actions steps we need to complete to get us there. What happens if the gaps in between those steps get filled up with other tasks that need to be done?
Our perception of what is needed to be accomplished in everyday life can bring our momentum to a grinding stop. This is when we can encounter a different type of brain freeze and we cannot get our bodies back into action. The indecision of not knowing what to do next can stop you in your tracks.
No matter if our unintentional pause is from trying to get through a complicated situation or just wanting to clear the everyday tasks out of the way, we need to do something. If you don’t know what to do… do what you know you can do. Not moving does not help any situation and gets you nowhere.
Take a breath (or two), calm yourself, and clear your mind. Then walk slowly through what has you frozen. Just like setting priorities in goal setting, the more important things should jump out at you. If you can take care of it, do so without letting the distractions creep back in. If you can’t or have to wait, move onto the next item.
You may want to take a mental break from the serious issues you are trying to tackle by filling your time with the less important daily chores that need to be done. At least you are moving and not still stuck. Even with those critical tasks that need to be done, take care of a piece that you know you can handle. This is doing what you know you can do.
Too often I forget that I have someone to assist me. Yes, some tasks may require assistance, but even alone we can call on the Lord for peace and guidance. A quick prayer of, “Lord, calm my mind and show me what I can do,” can help set the tone and give you the strength to begin moving again.
The opening scripture can begin the process. Lacking wisdom is not saying to lack knowledge, it’s also not knowing what to do. The Lord can help you see what you may not. You may not have the money until next week to get the material for the project, but you can still prepare the area where you are working. You may not see this without the prayer or the pause.
Sometimes it can be more about the faith we have to find the answer or direction that we may need and knowing the Lord will provide. Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. He will direct you where to go.
Psalm 32:8 adds to this, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” God knows where you should go and He will bring you thoughts of peace and hope as in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
The Bible is filled with many scriptures that emphasize these points. Being stagnant, not able to move, should not be an option, dig in and find more that will lead you even further down God’s right path.
But when in doubt, pray. Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
So, rise up and join me in using our Lord and scripture to move us forward. Let them open our eyes to the possibilities we do not see. With the Lord by our side, we should not fall, fore He is there to pick us up. And if we are too tired to keep going, He will carry us.
BRING YOU CLOSER TO ME
I’m just lying here staring at the ceiling wondering what to do,
Even knowing I cannot stay here my body does not want to move.
The more I try to focus the less I can see clearly a thought,
No matter if something is important those tasks are soon forgot.
The chaos in my mind doesn’t seem to have a beginning or end,
Just endless circles of incoherent words that I cannot comprehend,
Lord, just sitting here not moving doesn’t help get anything done,
How do I start making progress when there’s nothing I’ve really begun?
Dear child, just like you cannot eat a large meal in only one bite,
Trying to accomplish everything at once it will never turn out right.
You will easily become overwhelmed and not be able to think,
Even freezing you in your tracks while pushing you to the brink.
If you take the time to breathe and come to me in prayer,
You will feel the pressure begin to release to a point where you can bear.
Use my peace to clear your mind and do what you can see,
Every little step will get things done and Bring You Closer To Me.
Simple Faith Christian
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Simple Faith Christian 