Stop, Pause & Reset

"Be still, and know that I am God;" Psalm 46:10

Recently I have been experiencing some balance issues. After some tests, I found out that it is an inner ear issue- affecting both ears. I would be unsteady and dizzy especially moving or changing positions quickly. So- I saw a Physical Therapist the other day, and she has given me some head exercises to do, to help correct the issue. She instructed me that when I would do the exercise, such as walking while moving my head either up and down, or side to side- that if I became "unbalanced", I needed to stop, pause and reset, in an attempt to retrain my brain as to how it responds to movement. Pretty cool, I think, that we can retrain our brain. I have always been amazed at how God created our bodies to either adjust to physical circumstances or our body can actually heal itself if given the proper environment- such as a healthy diet, plenty of water and staying physically active.

Recently, the Lord has laid the verse- Psalm 46:10 on my heart. I had been going through some situations that were making me "off balance"- spiritually and emotionally. No, I wasn't going off the deep end- but I  would get moody, snap at my husband, being overwhelmed and overly emotional- that sort of thing. I seemed to start the week off okay, but then after a couple days it seemed like everything was thrown up into the air. Then I would spend the rest of the week trying to put everything back into place. Finally- when I went to God about it, He showed me that He was "winnowing" me- He was putting me through certain situations in order to get rid the chaff in my life- the chaff- in grain, is the outer covering that is useless and needs to be separated from the wheat. It symbolizes something worthless or fleeting. He was trying to get rid of those "worthless" things in my life- not necessarily sin- but things, the way I spend my time, etc. It may not be sin, but is not useful in my walk with God. I need to concentrate and focus on what is useful. He cleans and purges us from time to time, because He wants us as believers in the body of Christ- His Bride- to be clean and spotless; overcoming obstacles, being tried in the fire- so that we can be that witness to the world in darkness.

So- as just the other day I received these head exercises to do, to regain my balance- this is where Psalm 46:10 comes in. Some versions render it as: "cease striving" (NASB); "surrender you anxiety" (TPT) and "desist and learn" (CJB). I like to think of it as my instructions to regain my balance: "stop, pause and reset". When we find our lives are out of balance, we need to stop what we are doing, pause- take a deep breath- look to God and learn what He is trying to do through and for us- and then reset. Reset our focus, reset our priorities, reset our minds on Him. Stop, pause and reset. Cease what you are doing- and learn of God. It wasn't until I finally stopped and went to God and said: "Okay God, what's up with this? I am ready to listen now, so just what are your trying to tell and teach me? The Word of God tells us that "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:5. I can't tell you how many times when I am frustrated or confused, that I go to God and ask Him to give me wisdom- to show me what He is trying to teach me. And He has never failed. The Holy Spirit is our counselor- our teacher (John 14:26-28). When I finally stopped what I was doing, paused in God's presence and listened to what He had to say- then I was able to reset my reactions to things, to retrain my "spiritual brain"- and get back on track once again. And I do report that those situations that were causing me such frustration and anxiety- no longer affect me like they had. The  situations still exist- it is just that I am not responding to them like I had been. 

Sometimes we just need to stop- stop striving; stop becoming anxious, stop yielding to our emotions- pause in His presence and allow Him to restore and refresh us- and then we are able to reset and continue on. This morning I was studying in Romans 8 where it speaks about how we have been set free from our old sin nature- because of Christ's atoning sacrifice. When we have His Spirit living inside of us- we are now free to choose our reactions to life. We can either choose to please the flesh, the old nature- or- we can choose to to please the Spirit- that living Spirit of Christ that dwells within us. I call it Spirit Choices. When we have the Living Spirit of God living inside of us, we now have the choice as to who we are going to obey- to listen to- either God's Spirit- or the spirit of the world, the sin nature, our old nature.

Some of us may remember the old signs at railroad crossings: "Stop- Look-Listen".  It instructed us to stop at the railroad, look both ways and listen for any trains on the track. I think that is what God is saying also: Stop- what you are doing- Look to God and Listen to what He has to say.

Stop-Pause-Reset. When you find yourself in situations- that tempt you to just react in the flesh instead of the spirit- (in today's terms- "fly off the handle"- or if you think that God is trying to teach you something through your situations, circumstances and trials- you need to stop- what you are doing, pause and listen and look to God and then reset- and keep moving forward.

Stop

Pause

Reset

Dear Lord, help us to be aware of what is going on in our lives. When we find ourselves overwhelmed, frustrated, unbalanced in our emotions and reactions to life- help us to remember to stop what we are doing and to pause in Your Presence so we can learn of You and then we will be able to reset and continue on in our walk with You. May each one that reads this find themselves looking to You for all their needs and be drawn closer to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.  

 

~Blessings, Donna