Tuesday, October 12, 2010

One Thing



I love to play solitaire. Last night I played with cards. Remember those? It’s what we used to play with before there were computers and smart phones.

I take my card games a bit too seriously. Once I get started I’m extremely focused. And if I get stuck… let’s just say it’s not pretty. In my mind every game of solitaire is winnable, so if I can’t figure it out I get really frustrated.

Lately, whenever I feel really stuck I always stop to take another close look and I think to myself, I just need one move. If I can find one move it could change the entire outcome of the game. And it works. I can go from thinking I’m going to lose to being on a roll after finding just one move.

Lately my life has felt a bit like a solitaire game gone awry. I feel stuck. Like I just can’t win. I feel like there’s too much that needs to be done. And it’s overwhelming at times.

I make some pretty grand lists. Seriously, you’d be impressed. I’ve even been known to make color coordinated Excel spreadsheets with charts and graphs on how I’m going to fix my life. But they never work. I can’t ever find the motivation to start on my 101 step process to freedom. So I quit before I ever start and wind up right back where I started… stuck and overwhelmed.

But what if God doesn’t want me to enroll in a 100 step program? What if He’s not wanting me to get my entire house spotless and laundry done in one afternoon? Or overcome my area of struggle in one morning prayer time. What if He just wants me to do one thing? To find one move? To take one step?

That I can do.

What about you? Do you feel stuck? Overwhelmed? Like you’re losing? What one thing can you do today to change the game?

I’ll go first… I have a long term on-again off-again relationship with mild depression. Over the years I’ve learned my triggers and also what is most effective for stopping depression in its tracks. My “quick fix” is worship. It snaps me out of it. But the last week instead of snapping out of it, I’ve been embracing it. Wallerin’ in it really. (I know wallerin’ isn’t a real word, but I’m sticking with it) So today I’m breaking out my worship playlist!

Now… your turn! What one thing can you do today?

2 comments:

  1. Wow. Thank you so much for your honesty. I know God is going to use this. Thank you for being real and unafraid.

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  2. Whew, first I'm going to take a breath! I am so swamped right now and feeling so overwhelmed. I can refocus on God and trust God to give me my daily bread. I can channel my worring energy into productive energy and let the rest go. Thanks for a timely reminder.

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