How Psalm 23 Helps Me in Moments of Fretting

(By Diego Cuartas)

Just this morning, I was fretting. While I was considering the different things that were in my day, I was feeling like I had little margin for anything else. It is in this context that I fretted because of some comments my wife made that I was interpreting as demands or expectations on her part. When I get to this point I'm recognizing that I am not as a loving in my responses to my wife. I offer short answers; I get frustrated and deep inside annoyed by the circumstances. I also think there is a belief going through my head regarding what I assess as unfair or unjust. An undercurrent line that says, "It is not fair that these things are being imposed on me at this moment!". And I find myself reacting to that.

So as I found a few minutes to slow down, before taking care of some lab work, I sensed God prompting me through His Spirit to read Psalm 23. This chapter is packed with with descriptions of who God is and what He is doing all the time--now and future. The following verbs or actions give me insight into who He is and what He is doing in every circumstance--including those when I am fretting:

• He is my shepherd and addresses my needs
• He is able to lead me to places of nourishment and rest
• He leads and restores my soul
• His guidance in my life is aligned with the pursuit of His good fame 
• He is present with me through correction and offers me comfort 
• He is my defender and bestower of blessings in my life to the point of satisfaction
• He is committed to offer me goodness and mercy into my future days
• And all this drama of life will end up with me and Him together living eternally--with this kind of Shepherd! 

In light of these realities, I can ask myself the following questions in my moments of fretting--and use them to X-Ray my heart and hopefully realign my thoughts with Him and be able to live hopefully, in gratitude and loving others well:

1. Who do I believe is with me in this moment?
2. What do I think I am entitled to? And who do I believe is responsible for delivering that to me?
3. Who is in control of my present?
4. Who can seek my best "good" and actually secure it for me?
5. Where can I find true rest and peace?
6. What do I believe I have to be in this situation or what do I believe I must do to come out of it ok?
7. Who do I believe will secure justice for me?
8. If God is this good and gracious to me, how can I be good and gracious to others in this moment?

May God help us believe that we can live as people who have a Good Shepherd--who oversees and cares for us--rather than living life as an orphan who believes that life, good and justice depends on our own efforts. Fretting will turn into trusting!

“The Margin of Real Rest”

(By Thor Knutstad)

As I write today’s weekly blog, I am reading the comments of many disappointed people. Adults wanted a day off at home. Kids wanted a snow day from school. Many businesses and schools were closed.  People throughout our region had braced for “Winter Storm Juno” – which was ‘supposed to’ (and let me emphasize SUPPOSED TO) dump a foot or two of snow in blizzard-like fashion over the entire North Eastern United States and here in the Greater Philadelphia Region. It did not. It was a bust. In the words of teens these days, “Fail.”  Actually, “Epic Fail” seems more appropriate. In the throes of expectation and disappointment, here are a few simple observations that I have made today:

 Don’t judge what you and others don’t know.

 People really do want reasons to rest and be at home.

Don’t judge what you don’t know.  The meteorologists got it wrong about the snowstorm. So what?  99.9% of the time they actually get it very right. Maybe the fear and hype of HOW PEOPLE RESPOND to snow shows that they really do want the weatherman to be correct. This was a storm that had a lot of room for meteorological error. And maybe we should be grateful that it isn’t worse. Lives are actually saved without recognizing it. We judge and we blame for what we do not really understand or fully comprehend.  This is wrong and ought not to be. But it’s more than wrong judgment and disappointed expectations.  Many crave something that is treasured, yet not really utilized or lived out.

People want real reasons to rest and stay home.  Rest is something very foreign to our busy, pleasure idolatrous culture. We cannot sit still and just talk, laugh, read or rest.  We leave NO MARGIN for ponder, thought or imagination. Our minds are distracted by an endless array of media, sights, sounds, internet, information, to do lists, social media (yes, Facebook), tablets, movies, games, apps and smart-phones that ALL subtly deceive us into thinking we are connected to others. These tools aren’t evils, and are useful secondary things, until they are abused and distract us from primary things.  When they drive our minds and bodies away from real rest, we crave someone or something to make us rest.  We want something to be done for us because we sinfully (yes, I said that) live in modes of extreme exhaustion and the busyness of “marginlessness” (my new word).  A big snowstorm puts loved ones together with lots of food and laughter and TIME and closes the door on outside activities – ENDLESS ACTIVITIES of BUSYNESS.  The disappointment isn’t just a sign of wrong expectations.  It’s an indicator of the crave of rest.  And remember people – it’s not even February.  There’s still time for snow.  Winter isn’t over.  But make time for the margin of real rest.

Walking In Rest.

(By Thor Knutstad & Diego Cuartas)

Rest. We crave it. We rush to it. We plan how to rest in a furry of activity and we invest in it feverishly. But we misdefine it. Rest is not time off. Rest is not the weekend nor a break nor a vacation. Rest is actually my calling - daily. Rest must be my mindset. My friend Nate uses the phrase "walking in His Rest" as a statement of calling and command. When I walk in God's Rest, I do not bow to anxiety and fear. I do not seek power over situations that are out of my control. I do not fret over circumstances. Instead, I trust my God and entrust myself to Him. Rest, or unrest, displays who or what rules my very heart. It's almost Monday, but will you walk in His Rest? 

In A Pilgrim Song, found in the 131 chapter of the book of Psalms, we can see the relationship between rest and hoping in God: (The Message)

God, I’am not trying to rule the roost,

I don’t want to be king of the mountain.

I haven’t meddled where I have no business

of fantasized grandiose plans.

I’ve kept my feet on the ground,

I’ve cultivated a quiet heart.

Like a baby content in its mother’s arms, 

my soul is a baby content.

Wait, Israel, for God, Wait with hope.

Hope now; hope always!

Reflection:

• When do you experience the most rest?
• What role does God play in that rest?
• What would have to change for you to find rest in God?

Diagnosis Code 911: BUSZERKITI

(By Lois Robinson)

 Description- A tendency to stay very BUSY that can lead to a disorder called
GOING BERSERK

I was driving to work one morning this week, stopped at a red light and thought, ”Hmmm, busy and berserk start the same. That’s interesting!” That is how my brain tends to work. Think I will write a blog about that.

So, I get to the office. I then reflect on statements that I hear from the majority of the many people I chat with....

“It’s been such a BUSY week”
“ Our kids are so BUSY”
“We are too BUSY to go to TFL classes”
“We were too BUSY to get to worship this week”
“We are too BUSY to pray together”
“I am too BUSY to spend time with God”
“I’m too BUSY to come to counseling”
“We are too BUSY to invest in our marriage”
“I am so BUSY at work”
“I have to stay BUSY because I can’t stand down time”
“BUSY is my middle name!”
“There is not enough time in the day because I am soooo BUSY”
“I am too BUSY to eat right”

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!!!!

My friends:) These are the statements that people truly believe but the truth is:

B  - BEING

U  - UNDER

S   - SATAN’S

Y   - YOKE

Often BUSYNESS is a tool of the enemy that pulls us away from our Savior and feeds the false gospel of saving ourselves.

There is no way any of us can hear God’s still small voice in BUSYNESS.

I used to buy into the American cultural belief system that staying BUSY meant that you were an active, contributing member of society that would be a successful, prestigious person who would have a great big house and blinged out car, get married and have a bunch of kids. That was success!  That was fulfilling the American Dream, right? I went BERSERK!! I really did. I began to feel empty, working many jobs at one point in my life to pay bills, and seek relationships as medication. The next chapter: I entered COUNSELING!!! I began to seriously seek God’s plan for my life. At this point, I live in a wonderful little house, drive a car that works, I am not married and have no children. I love my life!!! Because it is the life God has called me to. I would have been miserable if I continued to strive and pursue what my then friends, family and work said I was supposed to be and look like.

This is a lie my friends. It leads to a lifestyle that felt like I was going BERSERK! Have you ever felt that way, or was it just me??

I would encourage you to not let the “calendar monster,” as I call it, fill up with BUSYNESS. Set those boundaries. Say ‘Yes’ to life-giving things that lead you to Jesus and ‘No’ to those things He is NOT calling you to- even taking roles in the church ministries!

He has made you special, unique and one-of-a-kind. You have a unique design on your life and a purpose to live out. It is your responsibility to protect those gifts and talents that He has given you :)

Learning to say Yes and learning to say No prevents BUSZERKITIS. It is a painful disorder and I encourage you to take steps to avoid it!