5 Ways To Relax When The Snowball Is Gaining On You
"Relax. If you will avoid becoming anxious, it will give opportunity for faith to rise." This was a prophetic word I received, from a respected elder, one Sunday morning during a time of prayer for one another.
'Relax!' I laughed to myself as he continued to prophesy. 'Relax! Lord, how could I possibly relax when I feel like I am running in front of a huge snowball that is growing bigger as it is gaining ground on me’.
5 Ways to Relax
1. Give yourself permission to stop and take a moment to breathe. Develop ‘stop and breathe’ moments into your daily schedule. A few ideas would be to do deep breathing exercises while your coffee is brewing, or eat your lunch away from your work station, or go for a short stroll in the warm sun shine.
2. Take off your Wonder Woman cape You are human, you are not perfect and God doesn't expect you to be. Take your perspective of yourself from Him rather than from the internal pressure that drives you or the cloud of expectation that can hang over you.
3. Swallow your pride and ask for help There are people in your world who are waiting and who are willing to help but hold back waiting to be asked.
4. Release others to carry a share of the load Paul’s instruction to leaders was to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, not to do all the work themselves.
5. Learn to say no and to say it with conviction Just for practice, say it with me right now, in a loud voice, 'NO'
A couple of days after receiving that prophetic word to relax, and while still wearing my Wonder Woman cape, I went speeding down the freeway to my next appointment, rounded the bend on my off ramp and came to an abrupt holt at a red traffic light.
I reacted badly. 'Really, Lord, a red light, was that necessary?'
Waiting, waiting, and tapping the tips of my fingers on the steering wheel, I glanced over at the car in the lane next to mine.
There, glaring back at me from the rear window, was a sticker which read, 'Relax, God is in control'.
I breathed out a huge sigh with, 'Okay, Lord, I get the message.'
What special ways to relax have you found helpful?