In fact, from overhead, it appeared remarkably as though the fog emanated from within that mansion rather than cloaked it from without.Ĭhristmas Eve found its sole occupant reclining on his unmade bed, staring blankly at the television screen, the remote lying listlessly in his hand. On the contrary, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue seemed, curiously, to be the very epicenter of the obscurity blanketing the city. The White House, thus enveloped in cloud, was awarded no special privilege of immunity to this gloom. A mood of heaviness hung over the capitol. By December 24th, it had still not made an appearance. Sometime around mid-month the sun went into apparent hibernation. By afternoon, the mercury in thermometers struggled to just above freezing and managed to hover there for a few dismal hours. Each morning, fog drifted along the Potomac and reached in cold wisps over and through the memorials as far as Lafayette Square. area was typically damp and chilly, with this December uncommonly more so. Create time and space to understand your life and pray for courage and strength to make those necessary changes.December in the D.C. In summary, we all have issues that are percolating below the surface, but need time and space to understand those issues and the changes we need to make to settle those issues. Are to ask for more in your life? Be courageous enough to do so. Are you to set healthier boundaries? Take those risks. Be courageous enough to apply the changes God is instructing you to make in your life. True wisdom is the application of learning. Though it cost all you have, get understanding” ( Proverbs 4:7)įinally, make choices that will create greater peace in your life. “The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom. God has promised to give wisdom to those who seek it. There is value in asking God for wisdom and guidance in this journey. You will undoubted gain new insights and understanding.įourth, pray it out. Allow yourself to ‘go deeper’ beyond superficial understanding. Find someone who will ask gentle, probing questions. Consider who would be a good listener as you ‘talk out’ what is bothering you. There are definite advantages to talking things out with a trusted friend, pastor or counselor. Don’t feel guilty for wanting a little time to be alone. Even Jesus took time to be alone to pray and consider, and you need that same space. It is pretty tough to reflect on our lives amidst all of our daily duties and pressures. Second, create a place and space for reflection. It takes work-reflection and consideration-to appreciate all of our feelings and thoughts. We are capable of having ‘mixed feelings’ on any given issue. We all have layers and parts to our personality. Here are a few more guidelines on how ‘consider’ you life.įirst, consider that what you think is bothering you may not be what is really bothering you. But without reflection we won’t settle into the deep exploration needed to really understand what is bothering us. There are so many distractions, or imminent challenges, that reflection and consideration are not options. They focus instead on the many challenges facing them. Many are reluctant to spend time in reflection. “When times are good, be happy but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other” ( Ecclesiastes 7:14). There may be layers to your issues.”Īgain I reassured her that we often tamp down our feelings and thoughts, fighting to simply cope with our lives, that we give little time to reflection and contemplation. “You will come to know what is bothering you, but you may have to talk for a while to fully understand what it is that is troubling you. “I don’t know why I’m crying,” she said through her tears. Linda let out a huge sigh, fighting back tears. I don’t know what I think or want anymore.” “I have been tiptoeing around my husband for so long, pleasing him, our kids, my employer and everybody else. She wanted to “unpack” years of struggle to discover why she seemed unable to effectively care for herself. Married for ten years, she felt burdened and tired and needed a respite. She had headaches and was tired, indicating she needed help to learn to cope and thrive again. Slender and petite, she was actually losing weight due to her stress. Take Linda, for instance, a thirty-three year old woman who had come to The Marriage Recovery Center recently for a Personal Intensive. We may be reacting to layers of issues, perhaps many of which began early in our lives, far outside our awareness. Have you ever noticed yourself becoming irritated, only to be puzzled later as to why you were bothered? Have you reacted to a person or situation, wishing instead you had responded effectively?Īll too often we are bothered about situations that are outside of our immediate awareness.
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