Poised Under Pressure

If I could use any word to sum up my life for the past few months, that word would have to be HURRICANE.

There have been so many things happening all at once.  Some things I can control, while there are many other things happening that are far beyond my control. In this time, I've had to manage a multitude of thoughts, anxieties, emotions, concerns, and fears whipping around in my heart and mind like hurricane force winds. 

At one point, it seemed as if the sheer pressure of all these feelings happening at once was going to overtake me! And if the pressure alone wasn't enough, right at the height of the pressure, the enemy decided to rear his ugly head with issues, distractions and options designed to pull me off focus. 

Has this ever happened to you? 

It's an old strategy of the enemy that works quite well if we are unprepared and unaware of his tricks.  You see, when we're under pressure, especially as women, we are less focused and our reasoning capabilities are impaired.  In this state, we are more likely to make rash/emotional decisions, react with extreme responses to minor situations, and take out our frustrations on those closest to us.

The reason for this is that we are naturally prone to avoid pressure.  We don't like the feeling of being cornered or overwhelmed, so our tendency is to seek comfort and relief.  This desire to avoid pressure is actually the root of so many of the bad decisions that we make.

If we are not focused, we will end up in sin and disobedience when we are under pressure.  And if the pressure gets strong enough, we will choose to compromise on our long term commitments for the sake of temporary relief. 

In fact, the pressure of any given situation combined with the enemy's "quick fix" options is a perfect storm.  It's precisely when the emotions are raging, frustrations are high, problems abound that your enemy and your flesh will convince you to solve your own problems, escape your discomfort and take out your intense feelings onto others.    

Have you ever had a major reaction to something your spouse or kids did or said, only to realize later that you completely OVER reacted because you were upset or frustrated about something that had nothing to do with them??

In my process, I've learned to take note of my behavior and responses during stressful seasons, (albeit sometimes after the fact) in order to assess my level of growth and maturity. Most of the time, seasons of pressure, stress and fatigue provide insight into my spiritual maturity and highlight the areas where I still need to grow. 

More specifically, it exposes those wicked things that are deeply hidden in my heart, unseen by anyone other than God, and provides the opportunity for me acknowledge those areas, choose to change them and ultimately get better.  Learning and getting better after you've escape the hurricane is wonderful! The process of enduring the pressure, however...not so much.

My prayer for you is that you remain poised when you are under pressure.  What do I mean by that? I mean, you must remain committed to God even when you have no idea what He is doing and it seems like He is just sitting idly by while all hell is breaking loose in your life (I promise you He is paying attention and He is working it out for your good!).

You must remain in character even when a situation or person tries to provoke an ugly response.  You must remain calm even in the face of chaotic situations.  You must remained focused on your own personal growth even when you're tempted to blame someone else for your problems.  And most importantly, you must remain committed to the truth of the Word of God, even in the face of strong temptations and quick fixes.

If you can remain poised under pressure, you'll manage through even the toughest situations with grace, dignity and character. You'll grow in patience, humility and meekness when you learn that nothing is so big and no one is so important that its worth lowering your standards and compromising your relationship with God. 

I know from experience that the pressures of life can be overwhelming.  Be they marriage issues, family struggles, financial concerns, health challenges, depression, divorce, stress or whatever...you name it, these things have the ability to threaten our sense of stability and security. 

So let me level with you: It is by no means easy to remain poised in the face of these things.  But I can promise you that no matter what you're facing, God will walk through it with you. He is paying attention to your circumstances and He is working it all out for your good.  Just trust Him. Stay focused and stay poised.

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! Psalm 143:10

My sister, if you allow Him, God will teach you His ways and He will give you the peace, security and stability you so long for in your life. His Word says so!  You won't find it in a man. You won't find it in a romance novel. You won't find it in a glass of wine.  You won't find it in shoes, purses or clothes.  You will only find your heart's desire in the arms of your loving Father. He truly does have everything you need and desire, and He longs to bless you and give you a good life! 

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. Isaiah 1:19

I don't know about you, but I WANT THE GOOD OF THE LAND!!!  :-)