Thursday, February 21, 2008

Under Pressure

This week has been a pressure cooker at work. We have a big meeting coming up next week, which has given me plenty of items for my to-do list. Just when I have one item scratched off the list, it seems as though at least two more are added to it. And yesterday I had another big project heaped on top of that.

I'm not complaining--it is, after all, job security for sure! Ninety-nine days out of one hundred I really enjoy my job. But when I have weeks such as this where I'm feeling swamped and overwhelmed with a lot to do in a very short amount of time, retirement at age 33 starts to sound like a really swell idea.

Perhaps as a by-product of feeling such stress, my prayer and Bible study-life has been dry as toast lately. I have to keep reminding myself that it's not my responsibility to generate a thirst for time spent with God. Still, these days the lure of being able to come home after a brain-frying day and veg out in front of the TV is far greater than delving into God's Word, even though I know that I'll get far more benefit from study and prayer time than I will from seeing this week's "Project Runway".

As I read another blog this morning, I was reminded of Paul's words regarding his own feelings of weakness:

“But [God] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

These periods of feeling overwhelmed and carrying a heavy to-do list burden are meant to remind me of my dependence on God. While I am a finite being with limited energy and mental and physical abilities, God is not limited in any way. With Him, I can do ALL things--including getting through a stressful week with my sanity intact.

Things *should* calm down at work, at least a little bit, after next week. I am hopeful that my thirst for time with God will return shortly as well, greater than ever before. In the meantime, I will try to keep from focusing on my shortcomings and rejoice in God's strength.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just had to come back and leave this link for you. I can't wait to see what my Heaven job is!

http://maxlucado.com/email/2008/02.21.html

Ok, I can't make it link but you can copy and paste it! :)

Anonymous said...

Stress does make it hard to focus on the truly important. It takes all of our energy to deal with high pressure. God knows that, but he can help you during the stress times too.

Lisa said...

Terri, thanks for the link--I needed that reminder to focus on Heaven and not get bogged down with so much earthly (i.e., temporary) matters!

Kelley said...

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)