Monday, October 3, 2011

Change: Your Outlook Part 2

So, I know I blogged about choosing joy yesterday. And I totally had something different planned for today. But, I've kind of been stuck on this topic today, so I want to spend just a little more time dwelling on it.

via
This week is midterms week, which means that school is rough. Since I'm not the best at planning things, I didn't get all my blogs for this week written and schedules last weekend, which means that I'm writing them at 10:30 at night when all that I really want to do is crawl into my bed and sleep. I am so tired. I am emotionally exhausted. And it's only Monday. Yesterday and today have been difficult. I don't know why, but I find myself frequently having a pity party. I mean, seriously Lauren, why are you so stupid that you didn't work on your paper this weekend or study for your theology midterm? I am beating myself up over the silliest things. Lauren, get it together. There is too much peanut butter on this sandwich. I find myself sitting in bed blogging at 10:30 at night when all I want to do is have a good cry session and journal and sleep. Oh- and maybe watch some TLC. That always makes me feel better. I say all of this to confess that I'm not always choosing joy. While I'm repeating my mantra through my head- sometimes it is hard.

Philippians 4:4-9 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

But, I'm telling you that it’s so important that we don’t get lost in our own little pity party. As girls, sometimes we like to compare ouselves to other people. We get upset that we aren’t as pretty as someone. We get upset that we do have stuff that someone else has. But, this Is so unhealthy. We are setting ourselves up for a lifetime of jealousy. It isn’t going to stop after we lose those ten pounds, get that boyfriend, or make the team. Trust me on this one. It’s a lifetime of discontentment. This discontentment leads to the feeling that we failed at something. This sense of failure ties back to our perfectionism and makes us unhappy. In the midst of all this jealousy, we cease to choose joy. Just as this joy brings us closer to our creator, the lack of joy (also known as discontentment) leads us further away from our creator.

3 comments:

  1. I'm right there with you. Sometimes I'm in the middle of a situation and I have to keep repeating to myself "choose joy, choose joy, choose joy." If we could just get in the habit somehow of being observant to choosing joy, I think it would become much more normal for us!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this post. That verse is great! Thanks for sharing. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Lauren,

    Amen.

    Sincerely,
    Trying to choose joy at 3:15am when I should be working on a paper but am not.

    haha.

    ReplyDelete