Have you ever felt
just . . . BLAH? Not sad, not happy . . . not cold and not hot .
. . not excited, but yet not depressed? Have you had times when
you just couldn't decide what you wanted to do even when presented
with some clear cut choices?
I suppose we have
all felt this way at times, and I know I have. How do we overcome
the doldrums, or as I call it, the "BLAHS?"
Recently I have
had some rather dramatic changes in my life. I have had some serious
health problems, nothing life-threatening, but some lifestyle changes
were a must.
For example . .
. a job change to relieve stress, going to bed earlier than my normal
2:00 A.M., realizing that I can't overdo or push beyond set limits
that I am so prone to do . . . or I will suffer definite health
consequences.
My old position
was as an Office Manager for a very busy inpatient/outpatient physical
therapy facility. To add to the demands of the job, we moved to
a new location, bigger facility and tacked on a Wellness Center
for additional stress. Inner office conflicts were constant, and
I became very unhappy.
A decision to change
jobs was made, with an interdepartmental promotion to a billing
position within the corporate office.
All of this stress
was very difficult to cope with on a day_to_day basis. I always
thought I could handle anything, and felt that I was a very strong,
very competent person. I was and still am those things, but enough
was enough.
I could still be
a very strong and very competent person with Christ's help in a
less stressful atmosphere! I cried out to God for almost six months
for help, realizing that I didn't have to suffer in silence.
God heard my prayers
indeed, and He helped me when I called out to him in my need! And
He will hear you as well.
I had come to the
point in my life that I really didn't want to make any more decisions
. . . about anything at all. I didn't want to have to decide what
to wear, what to eat, what bills to pay or what to tell my children
when they asked something of me. I didn't know what I wanted or
didn't want. I really was BURNED OUT!
My comfort was
always in knowing that even as stressed as I was, I could rely on
Jesus Christ to help me through the day. I just had to realize that
he would help ME through it, not DO IT for me.
I think we all
need to realize this in our own personal spiritual life as well.
Christ will lead us and guide us, but he will not do our work for
us.
Sometimes we rely
on God to take over our problems and solve them for us. We want
the easy way out! We think we can simply ask God for what we need
and then sit back on our laurels and just wait for him to work his
magic.
God doesn't work
that way. If we do what we know to do in resolving our own problems,
God will make a way for us. But we have to exert a little effort
on that pathway to resolution. A little sweat and tears are sometimes
needed. But with perseverance, we will get there.
I'm reminded of
Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road in the movie classic, "Wizard of
Oz." Her journey was always on track and clearly marked (the yellow
brick road,) but there were obstacles in the way.
She met wonderful
friends along the way to help her and ease her burdens. Some encouraged
her and some relied on her for encouragement.
No matter what
loomed ahead of her, she could always see the Emerald City from
wherever she was on that road. The vision of one day arriving at
those gates kept her moving forward.
I think we must
have the same attitude on our life's path. If we keep our eyes focused
on Jesus Christ, we can overcome all the obstacles we meet on our
own yellow brick road!
We must make the
effort to have a relationship with Him. WE must make the effort
to study and stimulate our human ways and our human thoughts to
those higher more spiritual ways and of HIM. We must reach out to
Him, and then HE will take our hand and pull us through.
But the first step
is left up to us. We have to make the first move toward HIM. If
we do this HE will run to us as the father ran to the prodigal son
when He returned home from sowing his oats. He will be so glad to
see us that he will leap for joy at the thought of spending time
with us.
Do we leap for
joy at the thought of being in His presence for just a little while?
We need to take
our relationship with Christ seriously, just as seriously as Christ
loved us. Don't take Him for granted in our everyday living. Don't
take Christ for granted and get stuck in the doldrums.
Don't feel like
the time spent on the journey of spiritualism in your life isn't
worth the trip. Don't negate Christ's sacrifice because you feel
you aren't worth His time . . . He deserves all of our time and
efforts.
He's probably happy
if we honestly and sincerely give Him prayer time each day and devote
the rest of our life to Him...just as he devoted his entire life
and future for us.
Make a pledge with
me to have no more doldrums or "BLAHS" in your life. We're too important
to Christ and to those who love us to remain "stuck" there in nothingness.
Live where it matters!
Live your life
as a grateful Christian slave to Christ as Paul did.
No doldrums were
present there . . . and no doldrums will be present here . . . ever
again! (I Hope!)
