From the desk of Grace Lange,
I hate asking for help…
Who’s with me?
A few weeks ago I was asked to help out at a local restaurant who needed help in the kitchen.
Of course I said yes.
Right after my first shift I got a text asking me to teach religious education classes on the same night I would be working at the restaurant.
And a few days before this all happened, I accepted a position in our city’s community foundation committee….
Oh and a few weeks before that, I joined a new church parish.
OH AND I am coaching softball on Sunday’s for a fall 14u league.
Plus I work full time. And I milk cows. And I try to have friends and go to the gym.
……
As you can tell… I may have over committed myself.
Now I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that at You Flourish Company we teach people to not overcommit and to say no, but I can’t even do it myself.
I am very aware of the situation I have gotten myself into, and I realize I need to say no to a few things and take back my yes for a few things.
As I was trying to decide what I needed to quit, I found myself feeling extremely stressed out. I was getting mad at everyone and everything, because of a situation that I put myself in.
Then I decided to take a walk, because I know that physical exercise is one of the best ways to destress and clear your mind.
As I was on this walk, I had an epiphany.
This epiphany wasn’t something new to me, but it was something that I needed to be reminded of.
I asked myself, “Why am I trying to make this decision on my own?”
I constantly turn to others for their advice, but why don’t I turn to God right away when I find myself in stressful situations?
Why was I trying to figure this out without is help?
So halfway through my walk I just stopped and took a deep breath and said, “Okay God, what should I do?”
This is where I run into problems though…
The whole listening for what He says back is where I struggle.
But then I realized that I may not hear what he says, but he may reveal the answer in a way that I won’t even be able to imagine yet. So instead I prayed:
God, please give me the wisdom to understand what to spend my time doing. Please help me to see the path you want me to take and to be grateful for what it brings into my life.
Instead of taking matters into my own hands, I had to set my pride aside and ask for help. But not help from just anyone, help from the Most High.
We constantly try to control our lives, because we think we know what’s best for us. We let ourselves stress out and become overwhelmed because of fear of making the wrong decision, but life would be so much easier if we actually let go of our pride and fear and let God make decisions for us.
Now… Praying about it is the easiest part, but accepting what He brings into your life is the harder part.
When I decide which activity I need to say no to, I am going to have a lot of feelings that arise. But the bible states:
“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No. ‘ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37)
So, I will need to stand firm in my choice and know that God will provide no matter what I choose.
That is what faith is all about.