1st Things First!
I've been getting distracted a lot lately. Every day there's something else begging for my attention that wants to usurp my energy from me. This constant flow of fear inducing muck, muddles my thoughts, dampens my spirit and frustrates my emotional well being. But it's not like I don't have a choice in the matter, no one is compelling me to download all of this dis-ease.
Then why do I do it?
Lately I have felt like this battle for our souls seems to be increasing exponentially.
I feel that same feeling I felt as a kid, trouble is coming, prepare. But the line between being prepared and being consumed has been a tricky path to navigate.
It is important to prepare but it is equally important to rest in the truth of who God is and his perfect timing. A recovery slogan I like to remember that reminds me of this truth is: 1st things 1st.
What does that mean? It means you don't jump to Step 7 when you haven't completed step 1. What is step 1, well in recovery it means we admitted we were powerless, powerless over drugs, alcohol and other people and Step 2 reminds us that there's a Power greater than us and Step 3 reminds us that He is always with us and if we ask, He will help us.
These 1st 3 steps do something very important. They ground us. To be grounded means you are balanced, centered and immovable like a tree with deep roots. Rootted means you are stable, firm and established.
Steps 1-3 ground us in the absolute truth that you are not alone, you are not with out help and if you invite God into your powerlessness, He will move on your behalf. When we are grounded in these truths, our emotions stabilize, our anxieties decrease, discernment increases, and we make much wiser decisions.
Epheshians 3:16 - 19 States:
"May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself]."
We do not have the power in and of ourselves to fight the many battles we face today. We must remember when we feel powerless, 1st and formeost, we are LOVED by a powerful God who desires to infuse us with His Holy Spirit, fill us with His power, and help us in all our ways. With that knowledge deeply rooted in our hearts, we turn our lives and our wills over to God and trust that amazing love to work for and in our lives.
1st things 1st!
1st invite God in to the feelings of powerlessness and remember the truth of who He is and His love for you! Before you do anything else, ground yourself in that truth 1st. Meditate on it and let that truth fill your whole being with love and light and then ask for what it is that you need. The direction will be revealed when you are grounded and rooted 1st in His love.
If you are making decisions out of fear most likely those decisions are not going to be good ones for your spirit, but if you ground yourself 1st in the love of God and who He is, your fears will dissipate, your mind will become clear and you will gain a deeper revelation of what it is that you're seeking to understand. Now more then ever we all need to stand firmly grounded with these truths 1st, before we look at the latest mess in the world, meditate and deeply root yourself in the LOVE of God, you will see the world differently!
-Christina Samyan, MSW, LCSW, BCPCC
