I’ve decided to throw a party–a pity party. You’re welcome to attend—but you’ll need to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Hope that made you smile! Because there isn’t much to smile about these days. I’m so glad our joy doesn’t depend on circumstances but on our amazing Lord. Whatever happens, we know our lives are in God’s hands and we needn’t live in fear.

Across the U.S. the number of virus cases increases daily. For a long while, I didn’t know anyone personally who had fallen victim. Now I do. Friends who are recovering say it’s a bad thing and needs to be taken seriously. You may know someone who didn’t recover.

Hubby and I are following the necessary precautions to stay safe. Just using wisdom here. We have no guarantee the wicked thing won’t catch us, but we’re doing our best not to catch it!

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3).

That said, I have a confession. Weariness is trying to overcome me—stress hitting from all directions, bombarding me and dragging me down. The weariness is in my thoughts.

Weariness is trying to overcome me—stress hitting from all directions, bombarding me and dragging me down. The weariness is in my thoughts. Click To Tweet

I’ve experienced physical weariness after an exhausting project. A good night’s sleep fixes that. But the weariness in my thoughts greets me each morning, casting a blanket of gloom over my day.

I’ve found a technique to identify the sources. Using a sheet of notepaper, I write at the top “My Circumstances Today.” And then I list every concern that’s taking up space in my thoughts.

Today I had fourteen. Scanning the list, I highlighted concerns I can do something about. Four.  Ten are beyond my control.

Number eight is one of the four I can do something about: “feeling an undercurrent of agitation and discontent—and their synonyms: anxiety, tension, distress, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, restlessness, displeasure, disgruntlement.”

Having a conversation with self: how is this making my life better?

Clearly, my rotten attitude is not making my life better. I’ve spent enough time in this miserable place to know the way out. This strategy works: praise and pray.

I don’t have to feel like praising God. I don’t even need a reason. I offer praise by a decision of my will—because he is worthy, no matter what.

“I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high” (Psalm 7:17). I praise him according to his righteousness, not my circumstances.

For the ten concerns beyond my control, prayer is my only resource. That’s not a negative statement. Prayer is my best resource! Calling on God to bring his divine power into my situation is just smart.

Excuse me for taking a moment here to look over my list again and discuss it with the Lord.

You know my heart, Lord. You know what I want. I’m putting all these concerns in your hands. Give me strength and wisdom to handle the things I can. For the rest, I trust you to do what’s best, even if it isn’t what I want. Accept my praise!

The triumphant Christian life is lived in the mind. Don’t allow uncertainty and turmoil to rule your life. Yes, there’s much we can’t control. But we know this in the mind and count on it: nothing will separate us from the love of Christ!

The triumphant Christian life is lived in the mind. Don’t allow uncertainty and turmoil to rule your life. Yes, there’s much we can’t control. But we know this in the mind and count on it: nothing will separate us from the love of… Click To Tweet

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).

Living the maximum life!

I’d love to know how you’re doing during the pandemic. Please leave a comment. And I’d appreciate your sharing this with your friends.

© Dianne Barker 2020