It's been really good to have some extra time this week since the kids I teach at Atlas are on spring break, I haven't felt as rushed as I normally am to get everything done, but the stress and problems within our family are really starting to get to me and wear me down. It's been very disheartening and discouraging. Thus when I was reading 2Cor. 4 this week, these were the verses that jumped out at me...
"We are hedged in, pressed on every side, troubled, but not crushed, we are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair...we do not become discouraged, utterly spiritless, exhausted and wearied out through fear. Though our outward man is progressively decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being progressively renewed day after day."
I'd like yall's thoughts though because I just don't really understand what he means...how is it that we are to be renewed inwardly? Is it as we pursue relationship with God that the troubling things will no longer be as overwhelming? Or does he mean something else?
I've hated seeing how all this stress is affecting me, almost as if it's stealing away little bits and pieces of me, and how it's affecting those who care about me, so this is really the biggest thing for me right now...actively figuring out what God wants me to do with all the stress/problems, rather than passively sitting back and trying to grin and bear it until it all passes.
5 comments:
i don't think i quite understand how one can let one's outer world decay and inner world be bright and beautiful still, i believe the outer often reflects the inner (not in a literal beautiful sense) i can't imagine being dragged down on the outside without my heart feeling it, no i don't think you should just grin and take it, but i'm unsure of what you can do *hugs* i'm sorry girl
Dont have many thoughts on the scripture passage... but on the subject of stress: There is nothing you can do to change the people who are creating the stress. However you can control how you react to it, you can choice not to be shut down by it. This is easier for some than others, and its not always possible. Try just not thinking about it, dont get sucked into it, dont let it wreck your day! Here watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdfndO6kfHU&feature=channel_page
Now, try to make a bridge over the stress. Dont grin and bear it, ignore it. Every time a stress full time comes up, stop, take a deep breath, move on and build a bridge. Also, dont carry it (the stress) with you, dont go back the next day and remember how much the stress sucked or what it was about. Im not saying when you do this the stress will stop effecting you, but I have found this helps me to be less effected by it, and let it go so i dont have to carry it from day to day.
Hope you followed all that, and it can help you! :) Hang in there!!!!
*hugs* i hate that you have to live with so much stress, girl. i'm glad you've had this week off.
my thoughts on what he means about being renewed even though the "outward man" is decaying; first off i see him as talking more about circumstances when he says "outward man," i agree with lindsey that our actions tend to follow our mindset. i think he's talking more about not basing our emotions solely on our circumstances.
how to be renewed? honestly...i don't have the answers...though i think seeing the big picture helps a lot. it's easy to get bogged down in the moment. i think what he's saying about not being discouraged HAS to come from hope, from looking to the ultimate goal and reason for all of this.
i could talk about stress too but james already said it much better.
hold on to hope, girl. i'm sorry it's so hard. you will make it through, i believe in you.
Ah it was so neat, last night at church pastor preached on something very relative to this, I'll have to post about it today after school.
oooh, please do! :)
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