Bumps in the Road and Course Corrections

In the past, I have learned that I need to embrace my weakness so that God's strength can be made perfect and see those weakness as a means towards peace in my life.  I have long struggled with chronic pain and, at times, with anxiety.  This past fall I had a traumatic experience at work that made room for both anxiety and pain to fester and flourish in my life.  I am now gradually beginning to realize the power of allowing the presence of these in my life and continuing on towards my goals.

Imagine, if you will, that my goal (whatever goal that might be; it applies to all) is a bolt of white satin laid out before me in a straight line.  My way is clear and logical.  There are, however, on that path, boulders, trash, and other obstacles that I must navigate around or over.  These difficulties can be ones that others have placed on my path or that I have placed there or are there through no fault of anyone, they simply exist.  They can be physical, emotional, or spiritual in the form of pain, anxiety, anger, pressure from peers, etc.  This is normal, and everyone has a similar road.  The problem arises when you or I become focused on those roadblocks rather than the road and find ourselves immobilized or traveling in circles.  That doesn't mean that we should tell ourselves that these boulders do not exist, but rather we need to acknowledge them and be at peace with the fact that they are there, that these hindrances cannot hurt us, and that we must keep our focus on the ultimate goal or value, moving towards that goal.

Think for a moment about your own life.  What are you struggling with in your own life; what are you wanting to accomplish but just can't seem to succeed; what grips you with fear?  With that in mind, please watch this short video (skip any ads): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-wyaP6xXwE

 



Sometimes, we seem to be traveling life's path rather smoothly and we feel that we are navigating our course fairly well when, quite unexpectedly, the unthinkable happens.  It is easy to panic and fall back into bad patterns, be they behavioral or thought, and get stalled on the path.  The unforeseen happens to everyone.  It is part of everyone's experience.  I can be symptom free for months, when I am blindsided with a fibromyalgia flare and it can be easy for me to despair.  The following video can help you be proactively prepared for such events:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYht-guymF4

Perhaps you have a goal or life calling that you were working towards, and worry or criticism from others or sin in your life have halted you.  Perhaps it's a goal as simple as losing weight or regaining health, but we keep following back into old patterns.  It may even be that we find ourselves completely on a different road from which we or God originally intended.  It is possible to get back on track, but we must learn to live with things that hold us back and press on.  This video helps us to get back to where we need to be:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z29ptSuoWRc

 



Perhaps the point of all these videos in my own life is not that my circumstances need to change, those bumps, demons, and cranky passengers will always be there, but that I need to change.  I need to get back on course and keep my eyes on the final destination.  Those other things can only hurt me or keep me from what I value most if I let them and give them power.  What about you?  Is your life on track or are you traveling in circles, bogged down in a life of pain, fear, or regret?  I hope these ideas have been helpful for you, and I hope you and I remember them as we undoubtedly will encounter many demons in our lives.  It's a new year; let's get further down the path.