5 Ways to Stay Sane!

Recently, I returned from a beautiful trip to Breckenridge, Colorado. Beauty, peace, strength, wonder. These are just a few words describing the awesome grandeur of those mountain regions. It is a breath taking as its counter-part, the desert…which is where I went spiritually that same trip.

I'm sure many factors played a part: lack of sleep, lack of oxygen, pregnant, travel, God, and even the Enemy of all of us who say we love Jesus, Satan. It was strange for me to find myself at the end of a week surrounded by the wonder of creation to be so far away from God. Random and strange thoughts blew through my mind. Sleep called out to me. Fear began knocking on my door and everyone's grass looked incredibly greener than mine.

I was feeling lost, alone, and a bit out of control. Thankfully, I had enough where-with-all to realize that if I didn't do these 5 things to stay sane, to stay connected, I could certainly go down the path of destruction further and further.

Talk
The first thing to do when you feel a "disturbance in the force" is to start talking!

The first person I went to was my husband. Second, I went to my girlfriends. The emails that were returned began to have an affect. The truth spoken to me by others came as a balm when I was unable to sort through the truth and lies for myself.

If we don't talk, we bottle-up and things become greater and bigger and worse. Our ability to diffuse the situation and discern from what is real and what is not is greatly dimished.

Listen
There are many-a-time when I'm driving that my kids will be talking to me and I simply do not hear them. Sometimes, I simply don't listen.

If you find yourself dealing with a time of darkness, loneliness, feeling unattached from God, or flat crazy, you must take opportunity to listen. Listen to your husband, or friends, or Pastor. Take time to ingest what they are saying because sometimes those words can speak louder than our deceiving heart.

Rest
In our microwave society, we find that we want all things to go at the speed of a button and a click. This is not always the case in the things of the heart and spirit and mind. Although the Spirit of God never goes into a state of inactivity, we would do well to find ourselves taking time to rest.

When I returned from our vacation, I had no option but to rest physically and spiritually. Meaning, I was okay with letting the Spirit do what He does even if I couldn’t see it or feel it. Just because we feel bad doesn't mean He throws His hands up and walks away for a bit. It just means He is faithful even when we aren't.

Calm down.
Slow down.
Sleep and little bit more.
Get to bed earlier.

Pray
In my time of separation, number 4 was the last thing I wanted to do: pray.

I found myself thinking a lot and pondering the things in my heart, but not really having active prayer with God. However, that does not mean He doesn't uphold who He is in me.

For instance: He's the author and perfecter of my faith. He is interceding on my behalf. He never stops praying for me. He is living and active. He holds me together by His powerful word...not mine.

Over a few days, His faithfulness to communicate with me in Spirit (even when I didn't know it) drew me back to faithful and active prayer.

However, if you find that you have the strength to stay in active, engaging prayer, well then, by all means, do it!

Wait
Up in the mountains I suffered a little bit from "How high are we?" tummy ache! I didn't have to endure waiting for Tylenol to kick in so I could go back into town. But, spiritually, it was a different story. I was getting sick and no earthly pill could snap me out of it.

I knew it.

God knew it.

By Sunday, JT knew it.

By Tuesday, my friends knew it.

I had done the first two things: talk and listen. I was in resting with sleeping better. I had a profound sense that my friends and husband were praying for me when I could not, and I was left with the final way to get back closer to my God: waiting.

That's it.

Not far from the art of resting is the art of waiting. Technology is quick and easy, but the things of the Spirit are to be experienced, tended to, and waited upon. Not in the sense of inactivity, but a humble awareness that God is working regardless of how we feel.

Allow yourself, and Him, time to restore your soul. Waiting is an art form. Practice it well.

The Five

These things were a life-line to reconnecting with the One who loves me most. I pray that in times of difficulty or in seasons of disconnection, you too will try using these five things.

Just so you'll have them:

1. Talk

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16.

2. Listen

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Psalm 34:113.

3. Rest

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone... Psalm 62:5 4.

4. Pray

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25

We do not know what to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. Romans 8:26, 27

Christ Jesus...is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:34

5. Wait

I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm27:13, 14

Keep these five things active and you'll find your connectivity will be active as well. When you find you've lost track, kick these back into gear, and well, wait. :)

Serving you,

Natalie

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