How Do You Spell Relief? - 9/26/07

Our son, Zack, loves to run (except when it comes to getting his chores done). He is just built for the ability to run, run and run some more. It wears me out just watching him sometimes. The fact is though, we each have been designed to run, going the distance and crossing the finish line with joy. We need His grace for the pace to keep us strengthened and replenished for an entire lifetime. His grace brings us the relief we need in our race. We must continually replenish our emotional, spiritual and physical tanks. We cannot run on empty, (Pastor Buck is always reminding me of this re: the car). It's so important to be recharged and to refuel...(believe me, you find yourself on the side of the road, stranded.) Our souls includes our mind, emotions and will. Not only do we need spiritual and physical restoration, we need it in our soul. Sometimes, I believe we try to run this race of faith while wearing our ski jackets, hiking boots and motorcycle helmets. It would be too big of a burden, and just the weight of the extra clothing would wear us out! As we run our race, we carry the weight of the world, worries, cares and burdens which weigh us down. We need to unload. We need to cast our cares and get some relief. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We don't know how or refuse to set boundaries. We don't say no. We create our own stress by not recognizing our God-given limitations. Often, we are stressed in the pace of life because we are putting more pressure on ourselves than God puts on us! Real faith recognizes God-ordained boundaries, which are where God's giftings, graces and callings start and stop. When we try to do more than God has called us to do, we run the risk of falling into pride which will lead to overload and burnout. Being disobedient in doing more than God desires will bring unnecessary stress and a sense of overload. One of God's greatest blessings are people! But, the relationships in our life can either drain us or replenish us. There are high maintenance friends and there are those that pour blessing and refreshment into our lives. Sometimes just talking or praying with a friend does wonders for our stress level. Be sure to cultivate the friendships God has given you; they are a gift for refreshing and bringing relief to
your life.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 NIV

In love with a KING, Pastor Janice