same old song

life has begun to slow down a little bit which is refreshing following a very long season of commitments including work, wedding, and family. it's been a season of life transition and i've gained a lot through the entire experience in perspective, in responsibility and in weight :-/ transitioning in life takes it's toll, and sometimes i pick up some bad habits in the process, and have to lose them once i find the rhythm of the new life. the main thing i seem to sense is that what is needed is rest. rest allows for the necessary space to loosen the hold of old habits and begin practicing new better habits. rest gives me the opportunity to see myself from the outside looking in and realize i've got some changes to make. rest helps me understand that change happens slowly and methodically. rest shows me that though circumstances have changed dramatically, the person within that change is prone to the same old song. after all, no matter how much change happens externally, it is the inside that most needs to adjust.

i've always been a person to spend time in the scriptures, and in prayer...and that hasn't changed, but of late the focused time for that has waned, and the bad habit of filling that space with other stuff has crept up. the way i know i'm there is that i start feeling a dull ache and a shortness of attitude that isn't becoming of who i want to be. life begins to shrink instead of enlarge and i try to work my way out of the funk instead of resting in grace. internally i sense condemnation, condescension, and cynicism. . .and the internal begins to leak out. yuck.

the scriptures have a lot to say about someone who lets this unrest get the best of them, but the main idea is that a person in this place is in danger of becoming a pharisee (someone who attempts to win God's approval by following all external laws, but never truly addressing their heart issues) or a wreck (someone who allows the voice of discouragement to beat them down into cycles of self-pity). and thankfully the bible has a lot to say about how to avoid both extremes. . .Jesus says, "come to me and i will give you rest," because like a mother whose child is acting out because they are tired, Jesus understands the cure for complaining is unconditional love--the closeness of healthy touch between parent and child.

monty, rest in Jesus, He alone can restore your heart, mind, soul and strength.