@bethvogt
Life stopped abruptly for me last week, thanks to unrelenting muscle spasms in my jaw. Forget powering through the pain – sleeping was the wiser choice, curling up in my bed with either a heating pad or ice pack pressed to my face.
Not how I planned to spend the week.
Several days in, I was in bed – where else? – half awake, half asleep, wrestling with the reason for my muscle spasms.
Stress. Yep. Stress was causing me to clench my jaw so hard that my muscles spasmed.
Up until the pain got so bad I couldn’t ignore it because I couldn’t eat or talk, I thought I was managing what life was throwing at me.
We all have life stressors right now. The ongoing pandemic turbo-charges the stressors of school, work – even our attempts to relax. We’re all trying to manage our lives today and into the foreseeable future.
But “coping” with life stress is not the same thing as trusting.
That’s the realization I faced when I couldn’t make the muscle spasms stop.
I was managing my stress. Shifting it from one shoulder to the other, day in and day out. Waving at God and saying, “Don’t worry. I got this handled.”
Truth was, I needed to shrug all that stress off my shoulders and lay it at God’s feet. Admit, “This is way too much for me to carry. I need your help.”
Okay. Time for a story.
Years ago, when I was first dealing with my abuse, struggling to accept the reality of what happened, a friend shared this story with me:
A young man was walking along a road carrying a sack of rocks on his back. After a while, an older man came along in a wagon. He stopped beside the young man carrying the sack of rocks on his back and offered him a ride in the wagon. The man accepted, climbed up into the wagon, still shouldering his load of rocks. They road along in silence for some time before the older man said, “You are welcome to set that load of rocks down in the back of the wagon.” But the younger man declined. “No, thank you. I can handle this load myself.”
Why do we needlessly shoulder burdens we were never meant to carry – especially when help is offered?
If you’re stressed today, consider doing two things:
- Rest. When our bodies are stressed out, we need to allow them to rest. It’s not weakness to acknowledge we’re worn out or that we can’t push through emotional or physical pain. Let’s accept we’re human and that we have limitations.
- Trust. We don’t have to go it alone. Pause and consider who you trust enough to ask for help. And yes, it’s difficult to reach out and admit that life stressors have taken us down. Sometimes I even struggle to find the words in a private, whispered conversation between me and God, who has proven to be trustworthy time and time again. Trust isn’t always the easiest choice … but realizing we can ask others for help can provide instant emotional breathing space.
If you’re facing tough days – and most of us are – know that I prayed for you as I wrote this post. And I’m praying for you now. Yes, you.
Choosing to Stress or Choosing to Trust https://bit.ly/3gqZxlD #encouragement #choices Click To Tweet 'Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it.' Quote by @BrianTracy https://bit.ly/3gqZxlD #stress #choices #trust Click To Tweet
Comments 13
Yes, the days are kinda rough;
cancer’s not a pleasure cruise.
But every day brings hurt enough,
and I’m choosing not to choose
to look much further down the road
’cause tomorrow’s coming anyhow,
and I just have to bear the load
right here, right in the here and now.
Some folks think I am a fool,
and that I should plan ahead,
but they can stuff their ridicule,
for I’m the one who will be dead,
and doing some Swedish Death Cleaning
will not be life’s final gleaning.
Author
Andrew: To be honest, I thought of you a lot last week, my friend. You’ve shouldered a load of suffering a lot longer than most of us … and taught us all how to do so with courage and faith. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank YOU, dear Beth.
Words of life, Beth. I need to take a deep breath and trust. Thank you!
Author
Renee: I am thankful you were encouraged. Praying for you today.
A great post and I’ve always loved that example of the young man with the burden. Thanks, too, for praying for your readers—Very appreciated. I’m sorry the jaw spasms were so intense and hope that they are now a thing of the past. God bless your week and everything in it.
Author
Dee: That story made such a difference in my life back then and God brought it to my remembrance when I needed it again. And yes, I am improving more and more each day. And choosing to trust again and again.
Thank you so much Beth
Author
Mona: I’m thankful if you were encouraged, my friend.
great reminder.
Author
Hi, Denise: I’m always thankful when you join the conversation, friend.
Sorry. I know the pain only mine inside and outside ear. What was causing yours? God touch you and heal you.
Author
Thank you, Jane. Mine was caused by stress … I prayed for you today.