Work, Worry, Rest--Two We Need in Balance, One We Do Anyways (Intro!)

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I started this post as one combining several resources and reflections on some devotions and other posts that had come to me at seemingly the most adequate times, but then they each had so much value, I didn't want people to just skip through it. In the days and weeks to come, I'm going to share a little section of this theme on work, worry, and rest, as it has really convicted yet also comforted me in the midst of this currently crazy world. 

I see so many people struggling and seeming to have no hope or sense of purpose and joy, and that's totally understandable. Even the "best of us" have down days, weeks, seasons. But there is something that differentiates some from others--there IS hope. This hope is in Christ alone, and that's hard for some to understand, but I want to share some of my personal experiences to show others that it is real and possible in daily life, no matter how mundane it may seem. 

As I scrolled way way back in my school email where I send myself links to look at later, I knew there were a lot of devotions and Bible studies in there, so that was how I was choosing what to do each day for a while. I was "randomly" choosing one, but it felt a lot like they were choosing me. 

I've been tired. Mentally and physically. Training was hard there for a bit (not much now since the season is so far away), and school was stressful. I have more than a full load of work right now. All this coronavirus stuff and never knowing the truth or where it is or what people are doing, I was living in anxiety. Anxiety is exhausting. 

But God knows what we each are going through, what we need, and when we need it. Those devotions were saved for a reason. I needed them now more than when I came across them. The tweets that I notice on my feed while I eat dessert aren't just happenstance. The instagram posts? Media has a lot of crazy ways it stalks us to show us what we want or need to see, but God is way better and more powerful than an algorithm!

 

I could go on and on about some of these, but here are some devotions, articles, pictures, and tweets that have really stood out to me lately on the topics of work, worry, and rest.

Here are the links to the devotions I'll be going over for anyone's reference:

Desiring God: For Weary Women in a World of Opportunity

Desiring God: All You Need For Another Year

Desiring God: Lord, Teach Us to Work--Learning from the Labors of Christ

KLove Encouragement: Rhythms for Loving Action

Desiring God: Good Men Work Hard and Sleep Well

To get the ball rolling, here are some other awesome things that I came across during the same time I was studying through these! No pun intended when I said ball, but it happened...

This was a section from the daily New York Times email in their "idea of the day" where they used the NBA as an example of how rest really improves life and performance. This came just a couple days after I had commented to our two coaches about all these pro runners breaking records left and right, and they responded sarcastically, "Yeah, it's like not racing all the time is making their races better! They can actually take time to train and recover..."

In the middle of all the themed things coming to be, coach Andy even sent out an email that was all about sleep.

Simple lesson to learn from our loved and missed sports world: you've got to take time to recover if you want to be at your best.

This is what keeps me going some days! No matter where I am, what I'm doing (or not doing), I have a purpose. I may feel useless and lonely, but I will encounter people that I can impact by the things I have been through and come out of. 

God says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

While the word here is "temptation" I believe it can also be "trials." (Pastor Dean, I need your word-history-knowledge!) Everyone's situation is unique, but we still face similar circumstances as others all across the world. We can relate. Jesus can relate. He faced a huge variety of oppositions, yet He never sinned. We can go to Him, trusting that He understands and holds the plans to bring us through AND use it for something good! 

These days, I know that even if I were to never get to race again, I have more opportunities. I have connections with teammates and encounters with even relative strangers where I can share my story. Helping someone through a challenge by sharing a testimony of how God has helped me is one of the most fulfilling feelings. And you never know how much someone else may truly be struggling on the inside and your words and God's work will touch their hearts and lives. 

Also with my future job, whatever it may be, I will have the chance to help people get stronger mentally, spiritually, and physically, and that keeps me going and searching for ways to use my days.  

Never be afraid to share your story! Embrace the grace that God has given you! Our struggles are not in vain.

Rejuvinated and Rejoicing (March)

(This post was started back in March, but I wrapped it up today, in May)

There has been so much lately that I have been wanting to share, I just don't know how to get started!  It's been insanely busy, but that's the norm now.  I've spent a little time each day over this past week trying to get organized.  I have a lot of studying to do, too, especially with the year winding down and ACT and AP tests coming up, but I have been dying to shine some light from my life into yours!

 

Life has its ups and downs.

When I get all wrapped up in school, I get really stressed out and overwhelmed, then everything falls apart!  However, when we turn to God, things start happening (sometimes later than we would hope) that are in no way coincidences!  Verses, songs, people we cross paths with, words people say to us, and just little things we see throughout the day start to make sense.  It's a real journey, but as things finally straighten out, it's impossible to put into words the feelings that God fills us with.  Here's a little bit of what I've been learning lately.

 

 

     Since indoor track season ended, my performances have been a rollercoaster!  It seems like sometimes I can't feel good two days in a row.  After one seriously frustrating week from how I felt physically, mentally, and emotionally, I was encouraged Sunday at church to see a bright, new bulletin cover.

This really made my day!  I needed some peace.  Sunday school with my wonderful small group brought more relief from God's Word.  Our lesson's "memory verse" was 1 Peter 5:6-7, "Humble yourselves therefore under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."  Not only was I feeling humbled already, it encouraged me that when I can be at peace with not being "big dog" because God will let us have "success" when it best goes with showing off His success.  God has to show us unpleasant times before we can be able to rightly see the glory sometimes.  It went on to say to just give it to Him.  Anxiety is something I struggle with, but hearing this verse alone helped relieve some of that pressure!  I decided that this verse would be my focus for the upcoming week.
     What Rob led the large group was also about God using our struggles for His glory.  As frustrating and confusing as it may be, it may seem that it makes no sense at the time because it's not necessarily someone's fault that unpleasant things happen.  John 9:1-5 is an example of where Jesus assures people of this fact.  A man was born blind, but Jesus replies by telling those who have asked him what sins caused such blindness that it was not the man nor his parents, but "so that the works of God might be displayed."  So you and I should not be so discouraged at our confusing circumstances, because there is always a reason, whether we know it at the time or not.

The next Tuesday was a small home track meet.  I actually enjoy these meets, too, because they are laid back.  I also like them because we usually run my main event first, so then I can get done a lot earlier!  We started this meet with the 3200 at 5:00, girls and boys together.  There was a guy from another school in front of me the whole race, but it really pushed me to keep going.  I felt good the whole race and pushed into the finish.  I just had to make myself forget the stress of competition I had been placing on myself and run with God's peace.  A couple minutes after I finished one of our dads asked me if that was my PR, and I laughed and said that I doubted it, and asked my time.  He said it was around 10:50, and I was totally shocked!  I ran a 10:51, just one second off my outdoor PR!  I had no idea that I was running that fast!  This was just one of those things that God gives us strength to do when we don't have the ability on our own.  I also see this as a message from God that even when I am struggling, He will give me enough to keep me motivated when I surrender to trust Him. 

Not only does being spiritually rejuvinated lift our spirits and mentality, but it really makes a difference in our physical health, too!  It is so important to have a positive attitude and relaxed mind in order to be able to really enjoy exercising, too.  I have found that the less stress I have in my life, less pressure I feel, the better my health is!  I feel full of energy and overall more motivated for life!  Think of it this way:  Do you want to be happy and feel good?  I'm guessing the answer to that is yes.  Why would anyone want to be depressed or stressed and tired?  The easiest way to have a life like that is simple, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Psalm 37:4