To live with small means, to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich, to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to the stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear on cheerfully, do all bravely, awaiting occasions, worry never; in a word to, like the spiritual, unbidden, and unconscious, grow up in the common. ~ William Ellery Channing
I read the above quote from a book, IMPROVING YOUR SERVE, by Chuck Swindoll. The more I read it, the more I learned to trust God, not obsessed by what others think of me, where my next meal is coming from, where I’m going to lay my head and sleep when the sun goes down, to keep going amid the chronic pain and suffering of the body, heart, mind, and soul. Learning to trust an unseen Being was a far-fetched concept. If I don’t trust people, how can I trust Someone I can’t see? Learning to trust God (and ourselves) is a long process of renewing the mind and woo the heart follow. Learning to manage our emotions and stop being so neurotic…control freaks, get into someone’s home and rearrange furniture, take their money and throw their day-old bread in the trash.
I learned to trust God each time I stumbled over a rock and fall. It’s where I found equilibrium. Equilibrium is a theory that has worked very well for business and world economy. It also works very well in one’s life. To keep it balanced. To reach the calm state of mind. My daughter used to say, “Mom, chill.”
Stumbling blocks, interruptions are part of life-long journey. Gloria Gaither said, “I’m coming to the conclusion more and more the longer I live that God’s will for our lives is the interruptions. If you read the New Testament and the life of Christ, I think you will find that everything that made the book was interruption. Somebody disassembled a roof and let a man down and interrupted Jesus’s best speech. I’m sure. He was walking to someone’s house to heal his daughter and was interrupted by a woman who has been hemorrhaging for twelve years who touched the hem of his robe and was healed. The only verse where he called a woman, “Daughter.” He was talking to 5000 people and somebody taps him on the shoulder and said, “These people are hungry. This kid’s got five loaves and two fishes here.” He was walking home after a long journey from Cana and was interrupted by a leper, “Lord if you are willing, make me clean.” He was willing.
Health issues, broken relationships and deaths are human’s stumblers. Just as flat tires, empty wallet, loss of a job, and unanswered prayers. These are interruptions that keep us balanced.
I thank God that He didn’t answer some of my prayers, one of which is health issues. It has given me time to adjust between interruptions and be still and wait. A place where a state of intellectual or emotional balance is realized. To chill!