Failure to Yield
No, I didn’t get a ticket or have a wreck. I did however finally go to the doctor yesterday. For the past couple of years I have had intermittent pain in my left wrist/hand. It usually came after prolonged typing, guitar playing, or some other physical activity, would last for a day or two, and then go away. Not this time. It started hurting again about two weeks ago and would just not let up. Finally Monday morning I was mowing the lawn and working in the yard. I stumbled and caught myself on my bum wrist, and thought I was going to die from the excruciating pain. So I finally called the doctor.Â
When I went in to see him on Tuesday he did some x-rays and determined, it was simply a result of prolonged and repeated use after injury. In other words over the past two years I failed to yield to my body’s condition making it progressively worse. My body’s pain and symptoms tried to tell me for two years that it needed a break to heal, but I wouldn’t let up. My job, church responsibilities, personal interests, etc… “required” me to keep going regardless of the pain.Â
So now I am having to ice/heat it each night, and keep it wrapped up the rest of the time. Hopefully after a week or two of reduced use it will be back to running on all cylinders.Â
This experience has taught me a few things.Â
- I am not as young as I used to be.Â
- I need to learn to listen to my body (and wife) more.Â
- My physical symptoms are not the only ones I tend to ignore.Â
I do this same thing with spiritual symptoms. Sometimes I get so used to going through the motions of Christianity and keeping pace with the ministry that I ignore spiritual health symptoms in my life. Symptoms can include anything from finish my devotion and having no idea what I just read, making it all the way through praise team practice without ever having prayed or focused on God, realizing at 5:45 I have not prepared the men’s group lesson for the 6:30 class, or simply failing to invest in other’s lives because I am so consumed with my to-do list.
Your symptoms might look different than mine, but they often tell us the same thing – slow down. In our microwave society we rarely make time to simply be in the presence of God. To get quiet and just spend time focused and relating to Him. Without these times of rest our spiritual bodies will become weak and ineffective. We were never meant to carry such a load at a such a pace on our own.Â
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Rest in Him and He will give you the strength you need to move forward.Â
–Wholly Surrender!