Shaped By The Blessing and Burden of Health

God wants our effort and input, but not for us to worry and be anxious. How do we balance this?

Is this what life is supposed to be like?

C’est la vie! I like to say. That’s French for “That’s life!” Yes, the turmoil and battle are constant in our lives. Decisions, decisions… we all have to make them. I used to suffer from indecisiveness, but learning how to make decisions with a clear conscience helped me get out of that wishy-washy rut. At what point do we say, “I’ve been weighing my options long enough”? The rest is up to God, and I can trust Him because He is bigger than my problems. He sees more, understands more, and can do more than we can.

The phrase ‘God is bigger than our problems.’ might sound cliché, but it’s true when we look at how God freed the Israelites from slavery by parting the Red Sea. I mean, how awesome is that? That’s a crazy amazing story of God’s power and personal love for His people.

God cares about the little problems too.

Man was Martha overwhelmed by life things (Luke 10:41). When Jesus came to visit their home, she had so many things to take care of! Chores need to be done, but we need to be prudent about what consumes our focus. When Jesus replied about her anxiousness and Mary’s choice, he wasn’t saying that she needed to drop all her responsibilities but that Mary had chosen something better. I believe God simply wants our hearts and attention in the midst of laundry and appointments and cleaning.

It’s hard to give Him our focus when social media is trying to bank big money on it. News, texting, or shopping can be good things; I completely appreciate being able to communicate or purchase a gadget in an instant, but I know they are often sources of stress (at least for me). I know how they can quickly drain my time and keep me glued to screens, so I try to set boundaries to mitigate the inevitable use of these tools in my life.

MetaConnections

Our mental health is very closely tied to our physical health. During my sabbath, I’m learning how to care for myself properly. I know that solidifying this practice will provide me with the ability to weather difficult seasons. At times, I’ve been annoyed with the amount of maintenance we all need—think food, clothing, exercise, socializing, rest, etc. This is more so a stressor for me since I am high-maintenance!

The Blessing and Burden of Maintenance

But honestly, it’s a blessing that our health often reflects our spiritual condition. When we stress, our skin may break out. When we worry, our eyes begin to resemble that of a panda’s. When we feel down, our appetite becomes a distant memory. Of course, this is not always the case—sometimes a busy life simply gets in the way of our health. But if we can pinpoint spiritual issues when our bodies force us to rest, and that is God’s good design.

Healthier Habits

I’m learning how to fully rest despite my inclination to lend a hand whenever I see a need for help. Lately, I am growing in my awareness and discernment of what causes stress and what boundaries I need to be mindful of. We all know which people in our lives raise our blood pressure, what media platforms suck up our time (I’m looking at you, YouTube), and what foods we regret putting in our bodies. Deciding when and where we let these things exist in our lives is part of the learning process.

This doesn’t just happen through sheer willpower. It starts with humility—humility in knowing that we are weak, having a willingness to let God be in charge of our lives, and letting Him transform us, starting with these habits we have such a hard time letting go of. Honestly, it starts with small changes that takes courage to build.

Conclusion

It’s clear that balancing our efforts with trusting God is no easy feat, but that is the strange and beautiful fellowship with God. So, where do we go from here? We start by asking ourselves: Do I step back and let God take over now? Real peace comes when we trust in His power and not ours to get the most done.