Ditch the Summertime Blues!
Summer is finally here! A time to kick back and relax, right? Or is it? Let's see...maybe one of these fits your current state: You just graduated or you know someone who did which means gifts and thank you cards. Your kids are on summer break and that means utter chaos. You've got a vacation to plan and that means time and money. There are weddings to attend and that means gifts to get and perhaps a new outfit. Oh and let's not forget the usual...bills to pay, laundry to do, meals to prepare, work at the office, work at home...Feeling overwhelmed yet? Not to worry, these seasons hit us all at some point. If you think about it, each day has its own set of "things" that can put us in a pure funk. That's where you are completely drained of energy and joy so much so that you are unable to enjoy the blessings in life. Here are some things you can do when you feel the Summertime Blues approaching:
Hand it over There was this kid show that was real popular back in the day called Fraggle Rock. The theme song began by saying "Cast your cares away (dun dun), worries for another day, let the music play (dun dun), down at Fraggle Rock". They don't make shows like that anymore. Did you notice the start of the theme song? It tells you to cast (literally throw) your cares away. I think they were on to something because the Bible also tells us to cast our cares somewhere. 1Peter 5:7 says to cast your cares on Jesus because He cares for you. What are 'cares'? These are the things that give you heartburn, the things that give you anxiety, things that keep you up at night, things that drain you, things that pain you...these are 'cares'. The Bible says to cast them on Jesus. Why? Because He can certainly handle it. Why? Because He cares for us. He is concerned with us. He has us on His heart. This is why we can turn our cares into prayers and literally throw them to Jesus and allow Him to do what only He can.
Relax Matthew 11:28 reads like this; Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. And there it is...Sometimes you need to simply relax. The simple truth here is that Jesus WILL give you rest. BUT you have to do something first. You must come to Him. You cannot truly have peace and rest without coming to Him first. Sometimes when we're feeling overwhelmed and frustrated it might be a sign that we need to rest. Have you ever seen a toddler who you know is just sleepy? I mean they are running around rubbing their eyes and refusing to stop. It takes someone to make them lie down so they can get the rest they need. The Bible says in Psalms 23 that He makes me lie down in green pastures. Sometimes God works in our chaos to make us lie down and rest.
Take it One Day at a Time Anyone ever told you this; "Don't bite off more than you can chew"? Or how about this; "Don't spread yourself too thin." How often do you think about and stress over things that are beyond your control or your reach? Last Question (promise)...How's worrying working out for you? Listen, you really only can do what you can do. The rest falls into the 'more than you can chew' and 'spread too thin' bucket. Do what you can do. Work hard. Give each day your best. But also learn how to take on only what you know you can handle. Don't waste your Today by worrying about Tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 tells us that tomorrow will worry about itself. I love how the Message Bible puts it; “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Wow. How about that? Give attention to what God is doing...I know I promised not to ask any more questions, so I won't. Ha!
Reflection
Father, thank you. Thank you for the promises embedded in your word. Thank you for caring for me enough to take on my cares. Thank you for prescribing the remedy for the Summertime blues. Lord, help me to focus in on what you are doing right now, in me, around me, today and every day. Help me to remember what to do whenever I start to feel overwhelmed. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen
