Saturday, October 27, 2012

31 Days of Fear{less}: Busy

Sometimes, it feels like my days are full of busy.

Busy can be a good thing- having lunch with friends, the opportunity to get an education, and excitement over a brand new baby being born. But, sometimes busy is a bad thing. It's stressful- like when papers are due, tests are to be taken, and books are to be read. I've found that it's in these times of busyness that I'm most prone to fear. I'm most likely to stress. I'm more likely to worry. It's in these times that I find it especially difficult not to worry.

One of my absolute favorite authors is Ann Voskamp. I feel like I talk about her all the time and we're bffs or something like that (when in reality, she has no idea who I am!). One Thousand Gifts is one of my favorite books, mostly because of a little section she has in it on perception. In OTG, she says that 
That which seems evil only seems so because of perspective, the way the eyes see the shadows. Above the clouds, light never stops shining.

So, naturally when Dayspring's review for the month of October included this little daily "calendar" devotional and reflection book, I jumped right on it. I know that it's in this "vulnerable" time- this precious time at the end of my education, before a "big girl" job- is when I need to be immersing myself in the Word the most. It's in these times of fear that I need to surround myself in the scriptures. I need to see "words of wisdom" on a frequent basis if I have any hope of keeping my head afloat.


In these times of "busy", I might not always have the time or energy to do a bible study (as much as I know that I need to). In these times of busy, Bible reading and study may be too often equated to class. I might not have too much available free time (or finances!) to read the newest and latest Christian Living selections at the bookstore. But, I can take five minutes out of my morning and reflect on a "portion". I can take a minute or two to reflect on the gifts that God has given me and thank him for them. I'm not that busy. 

I've learned that in order to live fear{less}, you have to have margin- you have to have space- in your life. You have to immerse yourself in the Word, and you have to study it and learn what other people have to say about it. Maybe in these busy times, the reason that I stress more, worry more, and fear more is because I'm not getting "fed". I'm too busy and I forget what's really important. So, today, take the time to slow down for a minute. Maybe it means putting off homework. Maybe it means logging off of Facebook and Twitter (or turning off your phone!) to get some time of quiet. Take the time to think about the gifts that you've been given- even in the midst of stress and bad times. Find joy in your current situation, and thank God for it!

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