Wriggling towards Shalom | Dreaming Beneath the Spires
When I find I am stressed, or distressed, I like to pause there and then instead of going through the day with undefined, subterranean unease.
I take the question to which I do not know the answer–how to be more productive perhaps. How to read more. How to help someone. How to get our business to flourish further–and ask Jesus for the answer. And keep asking the question, sort of saturating the question in prayer. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:15). And I keep asking, and keep asking for God’s answer–his surprising out-of-the-box answers, and eventually, as James promises, guidance, answers and wisdom do come.
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Sometimes, I sense a vague fear and unease. Do you? I like to slow down and ask: What is it? What’s bugging me? What is this nebulous dark cloud? Sometimes, the fear, anxiety or annoyance is quite rational, and sometimes not so.
But whether it is a rational fear, or just a vague sense of unease, it does have the same solution.
I mentally put the fear or worry or annoyance into the petri dish of prayer, and invite God’s power to surround, saturate and irradiate it.
I surrender the possible dark outcome I dread to God. Put it in his hands. If it does happen, He will still be there. He will still love me. He will still give me the ability to be happy through it all.
And then I ask him to avert the outcome I dread. Ask him for wisdom for what I am to do today. Ask him for a game plan for the months ahead.
It’s in his hands now, whether things work out just as I prayed for, or just as I dreaded. It’s his worry.
I then just rest in his presence, rest in his love.
It’s not magic, nothing about the spiritual life is …or perhaps everything is!!
But I do get up from the place of prayer so much lighter in my spirit!
