Those pests!!!
I’m outdoors at dusk, this peaceful Friday afternoon, on the eve of another weekend. The cool breeze is blowing gently around me, and the sky before me is ever so pretty with a display of indescribable shades, the sun having just set. The moon is but a slim crescent like a smile, high in the sky. The most spectacular sight is unfolding before me, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
The colours of the sky against the horizon continue to change even as I stand here, into more discernibly deep shades of pink, red, orange, yellow, blue, light grey blending into the dark grey above. Against that backdrop, the sliver of moon shines brightly.
They fly against me, land on my shoulders, bump against my face, and bite me on my arms and legs.
The mosquitos have come out. Those pests!!!!!!!
I swat and swat and begin to get veeery miserable. I now have to decide whether to run inside or remain and unwind in this beautiful moment with nature.
I decide to get the mosquito repellent and remain.
Fascinating! I cover my exposed skin with the repellant and I am immediately relieved. I am now able to enjoy the evening unhindered when a moment ago I was being bombarded by those nuisances.
Isn’t that like life though? You are minding your own business, living life as you know it. School, work, marriage, parenting, and doing the best you know how. Then invariably, along come disappointment, heartache, betrayal, abandonment, abuse, divorce, unemployment, pain, sickness, death, any number of unexpected upsets.
It becomes so overwhelming from time to time. Along come depression, anxiety, fear, paranoia and so much more that perhaps you don’t even have the vocabulary for…..the unspeakables, and undescribables.
Do we give up and stop enjoying the gift of life? Do we focus on the troubles that come with living? Do we only want the beauty of life without the pains of being human? I have learned that they go hand in hand just as the mosquitoes come with the wonderful outdoors.
Just as we have repellents for mosquitoes and other pests, God has certainly given us repellants for the troubles of life. Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. ”
He tells us what to do when we are bombarded by the troubles of this world:
Resist giving up. “Weeping may endure for the night but joy will come in the morning” (Psalm 30:5; James 4:7)
Be strong and brave. He’s with you always. (Joshua 1:9)
Talk to Him and listen for his answer (pray) instead of being anxious. When we call on Him, he answers (Phillipians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7; Mathew 11:29; Psalm 50:15)
Be thankful. He has never failed you. (Phillipians 4:6)
Be hopeful/expectant. God will meet all your needs, and even much more than you can ask, think or even imagine (Romans 12:12; Romans 8:28; Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 3:20)
Be patient. “They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength” (Psalm 27:14; Romans 12:12)
Be joyful. “A joyful heart is good medicine.” (James 1:2-4; Proverbs 17:22)
When I used the repellant, I did not have to swat even once. I was able to enjoy the cool open air until I was good and ready to go in. When we accept God’s help we too can be in perfect peace even with the troubles bombarding us. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3)
Your Weekend Reset Tip:
Spend time unwinding with nature in the wonderful outdoors …. and use repellent if you have to.
One area that can be affected by the excessive and unrelenting bombardment of troubles is our mental health. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
You may be surprised to know how much you are affected, but if you're not, someone you know is. I have invited a special Guest Life, Career and Mindset Coach to talk with us on this important topic, so we can expose the truths about it, and begin to take the necessary action.
Sharon Carruthers, the author of the ‘Weekend Reset’ blog is a child of God, wife, mother of 3, a Human Resource Management and Development Consultant, and owner of the firm, ‘Bold Consulting’. She is sharing from her own experiences for women who are holding back, or living on autopilot; who believe their identities are in others and, or in what they do; or who neglect themselves while sacrificially taking care of others. She hopes that together Christian women can embrace the future with the beautiful hope of transformation one step at a time.