Anyone up for a bubble bath?

August 21, 2013: Please “Share” this link to a new Precious Prodigal Post: http://www.preciousprodigal.com/blog/13-08-19.html

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

 

Someone asked me this week how I manage to from getting discouraged and sometimes wanting to quit. That question made me think and take a long, hard look at my own walk both on my journey and with the Lord. And I came to some conclusions.

The first conclusion is that I’m not Supermom, Superwife, or Superchristian or Superanything. I’m just not. And I have moments and even entire days that seem to be overwhelming just like anyone else. Under the best of circumstances, life is hard. When you love a prodigal, it’s even harder. So how do I handle times like that? How do you?

It helps that I am mostly a positive person. However, that’s not the total answer. I heard about a teacher who poured half a glass of water and showed it to her class. One of the students said, “You’re going to ask whether the glass is half full or half empty.” But that wasn’t the lesson the teacher had in mind. She had that student come and hold the glass straight out in front of him. It didn’t take long before that glass began to feel a little awkward. Then it began to feel heavy. Before long, that student’s arm was really tired and hurting, and his hand was shaking. Why? Because whether that burdensome glass was half empty or half full, after a while it was more than he could handle.

That’s the way it is with us when we are carrying a burden. We can only do it for so long before it becomes more than we can handle. And our perspective only helps a little. It doesn’t make that burden any less real or any less exhausting.

So what can we do? It’s always an option, of course, to remember that God knows and cares and understands even when no one else seems to. In fact, He tells us He cares and that we can that cast that burden on Him. (1 Peter 5:7) However, in order to “cast” it, we’ve got to let it go…if only briefly. And for me, being willing to let it go is usually part of the problem, especially when crises seldom come alone, but in bunches like bananas.

That was my situation some time back, and I called a friend expecting her to give me a “reality check” and tell me to get over myself. I was astonished when she instead asked how long it had been since I’d taken a bubble bath. A bubble bath? Was she out of her mind? While I was still stuttering, she suggested I draw a bubble bath, light some sweet-smelling candles, grab a book and lock the bathroom door for an hour. Oh…and leave the cell phone in another room.

At the end of that hour, the problems were still there, but I didn’t expect them to disappear. I wasn’t denying them. I was only taking a break from them. You may be thinking you have too many “emergencies” demanding your attention for you to take a break. Here is where I gently suggest that if you have that many things demanding your attention, it’s all the more necessary that you take a break. Go for a walk, read a book, take a bubble bath…oh, and turn off your phone. You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel.

Challenge for Today: Can you, just for today, take a break from the burdens you are carrying? Can you “cast” them and let them go?

Author's Note

August 21, 2013:
Anyone up for a bubble bath?
Please “Share” this link to a new Precious Prodigal Post:
http://www.preciousprodigal.com/blog/13-08-19.html