Let's Get Off the Struggle Bus
I am just wondering who’s on the bus.
Are you struggling with anxiousness? Do you drive yourself so hard with unreasonable expectations of yourself?
Are you fearful? Do you expect the sky to fall at any minute? Is something bad going to happen if….fill in your blank?
Is shame your battle? Do you think you have “to do” to earn approval? Even when you get it all right are you pushing yourself to more and more and more?
These mindsets are harmful to us. I can personally attest to this. Do you see me raising my hand? I pushed myself for decades in all of these areas and ended up paying for it in my physical health.
We can hurt our bodies by exhausting them. We don’t let our hearts have a moment’s peace. The grooves in our brains go deeper and deeper as we wallow in anxiety, fear, and shame.
But we don’t have to live like this anymore.
Our God is bigger than our struggles. He is. He really is. One way to shift in the areas is to get to know God better. We are invited to grow in our relationship with Him.
If there is an area of life where we are struggling there is also an aspect of His character that He is wanting us to teach us that we just don’t know yet.
In place of anxiety, He wants to teach us that He is faithful and is our provider.
Instead of fear, He wants to teach us He is enough.
Where there is shame he wants us to know Him as our Savior.
(There may be other lessons attached to each of these that can be learned but I only chose a few for examples.)
“In this world, we will have troubles. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
But we have to be honest with ourselves.
Checking all the boxes doesn’t qualify us. Jesus is our qualifier.
Trying to work and do more is just a relentless hampster wheel designed by the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus is enough.
Constantly trying to make up for our past mistakes doesn’t work in the Kingdom. We are made to need our Savior. It’s deep within us. On our abilities, we can not save ourselves. He, alone, saves.
We can lay all our striving down and rest in His finished work. When we begin to feel anxious, fearful, or shameful we lean into Him. One way to do that is to thank Him that we can’t do it by ourselves. He wants to help us. Invite Him into that space and ask Him to help you with your problem.
We can rest in His promises. Find a truth that responds to the lie you are hearing. Turn it into your prayer. Take deep breaths and repeat it over and over. Let His Truth reroute those grooves in your brain. He says we can be “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” Romans 12:2
Often, our triggers are exacerbated when we are tired. Being weary sets us up to strive. But rest is the best medicine. Slow down, friend. You might be shocked at how much healthier you are when you trust the Lord and get off the hampster wheel.
Some resources that have REALLY HELPED me in my journey in these areas are:
Growing Slow: Lessons on Un-Hurrying Your Heart from an Accidental Farm Girl
Stay: Discovering Grace, Freedom, and Wholeness Where You Never Imagined Looking
These books are mulitple read books for me.
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