Exceeding Your Limit

Walking down the shampoo aisle the other day, I almost threw a fit in the store. I don’t consider myself exactly indecisive…perhaps if anything, I am indecisive because I want to make the absolute perfect decision. For it would be quite devastating if I wasted money on a shampoo that didn’t at all work when I could have bought a different shampoo that worked at least a little. And then there is the whole price evaluation: do I want to buy this shampoo that is $1.12 more, but has two more ounces in it than the other brand? Do I want to spend a little extra on this shampoo that smells like gardenia…is an extra .50 cents worth the smell of flowers that is going to wear out of my hair in less than an hour?!

It is all vexing. And the other day walking down the shampoo aisle, feeling as though I was trying to choose a star from the heavens…all of which looked exactly alike to me… I got really angry and nearly lost my temper. How dare the shampoo people make so many brands of shampoo and drive the indecisive consumer into fits of frustration! All over a stupid bottle filled with goop which, no matter what brand you buy, will never make your hair look like flawless cascades of silky, shiny tresses as seen on t.v. commercials. It is all very insane.

Do you ever feel just totally frazzled in life? Like you have just exceeded your ability to be patient and good natured about anything? I’ve been rather clumsier lately, which particularly drives me insane. I hate dropping things, banging my elbows, ripping my earbuds from my ears, dumping rice all over my computer. In my head, I can almost hear Satan telling me quiet, sympathic things such as: Poor Jennie, you are so tired and worn out from work, no wonder you have no energy. You are such a challenging life right now, it’s okay to feel stressed out and frustrated… a day without patience is to be completely expected." It’s kind of funny, it seems like Satan never tells you obvious, evil things. He doesn’t tempt me with thinking, “Oh, you have such an awful life, go out and be grouchy.” No, he snakes his way into my mind by feeding me all these pitiful, feel-sorry-for-Jennie, comments. “Poor Jennie… Jennie will never be able to do it… Jennie has had such a rough life….no wonder…people have mistreated Jennie…people are so cruel, poor, poor Jennie…”

Ah! If you think about what you are thinking, sometimes you have a pity party going on in your head you never really noticed before. And Satan is always the guest of honor!

It’s been a grumpy week. My nerves are shot. Sometimes I feel like it is just too hard to be kind and sweet and hopeful. Little, stupid things like fifty bottles of shampoo to choose from, backaches, coffee grinds in my coffee, people who treat me as if I were dumb—all accumulate and make me feel like an evil dragon of unceasing fiery wrath…. And then all my desires to blow up the earth, implode within me and I feel like a ridiculously, pathetic, mush-ball of flesh.

I suppose it is days, or weeks like this that we must use the tactic to aggressively pursue joy. Sometimes joy just falls into our laps like a a loving kitten, but other days we must work at it. We must realize that none of our efforts are in vain. If we act angry and irritable with people while we are having down days, when the good days return, and they always do, won’t we feel rather ashamed for being such a mess before?

But how do you aggressively pursue joy? Here are few suggestions:

1.  You can count your blessings. 

2.  You can remember all the things God has done for you in the past.

3.  Pray!

4.  Read your Bible.

5.  Reach other to others.

6.  Get your mind off your problems!

7.  Don’t give too much girth to what ails you. If you think your problem is huge, it will be.

8.  Find something or someone that makes you laugh.

9.  Surround yourself with happy people.

10. Do something spontaneous or childlike. Color a picture. Bake chocolate chip muffins. Go visit puppies at the pet store. Write a silly poem. Organize a drawer. Take a picture of your favorite shoes. Take a walk outside.

I suppose the best thing to do is to remember that not all days are going to be crazy. Like a storm, this day, or week, or even month will pass and your spirit will feel light and happy again. Make a pledge to yourself that when you are feeling rotten, do something for someone that displays the Spirit of God. Then, no matter how awful your day is something good will have come out of it! Hang in there those who are stressed, discontented, lonely, tired, or just plain frustrated with life. It will get better! God will get you through! In the meantime, patiently endure the storm and, perhaps if able, avoid going down the shampoo aisle until the skies are clear again!

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“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Gal 6:9

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14
 

“If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” Proverbs 24:10