I don't like drama. You know, the kind of upheaval that happens when one person tries to force her opinion or her will on others. Or when every problem or glitch in personal plans is considered disaster, and every slight a catastrophe. There are enough genuine heartbreaks and troubles in life to deal with without overreacting to the small stuff. Many times these anticipated crises can be averted or won't even materialize with a little time and a little patience and it makes the wildly erratic reaction completely unnecessary and foolish.
OK, now that I've said that, the trouble is, when there's a glitch I've been known to overreact and panic with the best of the panickers. I am not proud of this but it is the truth.
My heart was pricked when I read Oswald Chambers' devotion about being intimate with Jesus.
Chambers writes, "When once we get intimate with Jesus, we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic. The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having His unhindered way...The only impression left by such a life is that of strong, calm sanity that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him."
Even the Apostle Paul writes about this drama-less way of life for God's children.
I Thessalonians 4:11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed before. 12. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not have to depend on others.
We are inundated with messages to make this life as exciting as possible. Remember the old beer commercial, "You only go around once in life so grab all the gusto you can." (How in the world did I remember that?) I don't think this is an inherently bad idea because there is nothing wrong with experiencing many new and unique adventures, and serving the Lord is adventure in itself. After all, He is the Creator. New and exciting describes so much of life serving Him, but I also think this search for "the next exciting thing' outside of Christ spills over into other areas and creates drama where it wouldn't normally show up.
The worldly equation seems to be: Drama = exciting = living life to the fullest.
Go ahead. Watch an episode of Jerry Springer. I dare you.
I long to live a quiet life. Daily drama is a real threat to strong, calm sanity and ultimately to peace of mind and heart. It is not my friend.
Father, You give us stability when we'd be all over the place with our emotions and our feelings. With you we find a sure place to rest and to reside when life is in turmoil all around us. Help me find adventure in serving You and let me enter into the intimacy with You that gives me what I so desperately need. You are our hiding place, our rock, our strong shelter. I love you so very much.
Suz
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