control

Clutter

~ Extravagant Hope ~ Leave a comment

For those of us to-do list lovers, who get great satisfaction as we make neat tick marks, cross off or scribble out each line on the list, it feels like a goal has been met as we watch that list dwindle. Accomplishment, focused, and successful. And it is all of those things – an errand completed, a task finished, control over our day. Control. There’s that word again. It seems to be a theme in my life and maybe it is in yours, too. When I make my lists and check things off I feel like I am controlling, planning, and maintaining my life in a healthy and well-kept way. And for a little while, I am. But, if I examine how my life feels from a different perspective I notice that many things on my to-do list are not necessarily things that bring me joy, happiness, or give me permission to rest. Yes, I am pleased when my home is clean and organized and when phone calls and emails are returned and handled. It’s a good feeling and those are necessary accomplishments, but at the same time it feels devoid of simple pleasures, of peace.  

In an effort to bring peace into my life, I put it on my to-do list and schedule time for myself as a calendar-ed event. There is nothing wrong with this. However for me it sometimes falls flat; feeling lackluster and forced. There is a lot of pressure to make that time perfectly peaceful and in the striving and worrying about whether or not I’m feeling peace, it ends up a frustrating and tiring experience.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The peace of God. Not the peace that I force and manufacture for myself, or the momentary and fleeting peace I feel when a task is ticked off of that constant and never-ending to-do list. The peace of God. Peace that transcends all understanding, all lists, and the clutter of humanity in this oftentimes chaotic world. The peace of God redefines what a successful and accomplished day might look like if I let go of the ideal of an uncluttered day. Finding Him in the midst of the clutter and accepting each day as it comes, perhaps even allowing some things to be undone at the end of the day, could be the very thing that ushers in peace and the simple joys I am seeking.

Anxiety over an unfinished to-do list has the potential to rob you and me of beautiful times of rest and peace just sitting with a cup of coffee, walking leisurely along the beach, reading a book, and talking to Jesus. I don’t want my endless lists to become an idol that takes the place of His peace. When my day is peppered with quick prayers, ongoing conversations with Him, and following His lead throughout the day, my definition of success changes. A successful day can look like napping when our bodies are worn down, giving ourselves a little more time to complete errands and tasks, laughing and sharing with a friend or listening for His whispers in the wind chimes on the patio. It will look different for all of us and that is the beauty of Jesus – the One who knows us best. He knows how we need to experience His presence. When we welcome Him in to guide us through our day, the clamor of the clutter dims and fades in the power of His peace. God’s peace. It is a guard and shield over our hearts that filters out all that demands our time and robs us of joy. He gives us permission to lavishly rest and bask in His life-giving peace. Restoration. Healing. Peace.

Weakness

~ Extravagant Hope ~ Leave a comment

The sun hasn’t been up for long. I’m sitting in my favorite spot with my coffee, of course. I am feeling out of sorts and restless this morning. The patio and garden are cool and lovely with early birds and critters stopping in for breakfast. I know there is peace to be found here, but it’s elusive. Things are weighing on my heart and circumstances happening that leave me feeling feeble, chaotic, and uncertain. Those are not feelings I like, nor do I want them hanging around making me feel out of control and incapable.

My mind is trying to process and organize all these things – trying to fix them because I fancy myself a fixer. As I’m sitting, a breeze picks up and tosses some leaves and spent blooms around the garden. I notice that they are at the mercy of the breeze. It isn’t a wild and insane storm; it is simply a breeze that is stronger than the blooms – the blooms are weaker than the breeze. Pondering this, remembered words pop into my mind…my strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Weakness. This isn’t a word most of us want associated with ourselves. However, strength needs weakness.  When we are at the end of ourselves and knowing how to fix and manage the thing, this is when Jesus has room to come in with His power, strength, wisdom, and compassion to protect, fix, and do miraculous things. I don’t believe He views our weaknesses as something to look down on or shake His head at; I believe He views our weaknesses as beautiful opportunities to shower us with His grace, love, and protection and to impart His perfect strength into us and our circumstances. He shows us glimpses of the future as He opens and closes doors, the foreshadowing of eternity and of Himself as we have a front row seat to watch Him do the impossible and comfort and heal us when life doesn’t turn out how we had prayed it would.

It’s good to remember that He is the Master Weaver of our life tapestry. He sees the beginning, middle and end. He sees where our lives will intersect with another’s journey.  Perhaps the unique and specific strengths He has given us will be exactly what is needed to help someone who finds themselves in a place of weakness, where our strength is perfectly matched to their circumstances. 

Weakness doesn’t have to hold a negative connotation. It has much more depth than that. Perhaps it has a richness to it that speaks to humanity needing each other to get through life and to witness acts of kindness and heroics since we are all unique in our strengths. In another’s weakness we get the beautiful opportunity to be His hands, feet, words, and comfort. We also get to be on the receiving end of another’s strength. The tapestry of humanity is a lovely thing  that intersects and strengthens as we witness startling acts of bravery and kindness; a chance to bring hope. There is beauty to be found in weakness.