A-Z - positive mental attitude

Where's your head at?

(Y'all know how it be)

Where's your head at?

Where's your head at?

(You don't make it easy on yourself)

Where's your head at?

(What you give is what you get...

Is what you get... what you get...) 

(Song by Basement Jaxx. Lyrics: Simon Ratcliffe, Gary Anthony James Webb, Felix Major Buxton )

I've just come back from a long weekend working at an Salvation Army event. Lots of high points. And a handful of lows in the mix, too. My mind is a whirl, trying to sort out my thoughts. It's rather chaotic in my head at the moment.

It's also that time of year where I look for a topic to blog about. Alphabetically, A. through to Z, for 26 consecutive days.

What better topic could I pick? Keeping a positive mental attitude when you are working away from home. 

Some of the posts may seem a bit random however all are connected, albeit tangentally. It's a bit of a stream of consciousness. However, this should help me make some sense of how I am - and how I feel - at the moment. 

Apart from a little weary...

Not Grow Weary

"…The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT

Running With Perseverance

It's hard to simply keep going.

Keep going - when things aren't easy, when for days on end everything seems to be constantly "uphill and against the wind".

I persevere, but I'm afraid it doesn't get any easier. The longer I go, the harder it seems to get! Understandably - because I need to put some effort into it if my life is to be faithful, to be worthwhile. I understand that what I am undertaking is a marathon rather than a sprint. I need to run with endurance, as well as perseverance.

I've tried to rid myself of all of the things that hinder... have I forgotten to ditch something?

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hmmm. "Grow weary and lose heart". Yes, that's the problem. It's too easy for me to lose heart if I lose my focus on the reason why I am running. I need to fix my eyes, not on what I am doing, but who I am doing it for....

I must also run "the race marked out" for me. Not the race I want to run. But the one I'm instructed to run.

Yoked Fellowship

Yesterday's meeting at the Corps explored the concept of being 'yoked'. It's referred to by Jesus in Matthew's gospel:

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
"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."

A yoke is a wooden beam, used to join a pair of oxen to enable them to pull together: this was in common use by farmers around the time of Jesus. I had heard the passage of scripture before, and understand some of the concept about learning from Him by being yoked to Him. However, there was teaching yesterday about us being a 'yoked fellowship' which I must admit to finding difficult, hence unpacking it here.

Being in fellowship together implies that we need to live together, to work together. Paul also uses this example in his letters, telling us not to be yoked together with unbelievers. Understandable, then, because as a team we need to pull together and to pull the same way in order to get things done. The verses are talking about teamwork!

The reference to 'rest' in the above passage may confuse some, as at first glance there isn't anything remotely restful about a yoke. However, it is the sharing of the load that makes the work easier, of far greater efficiency. This lightens the burden; ensures the task is completed more effectively. So, in theory, with all of us in fellowship with Him and with each other, we can all pull together, accomplishing much more than we could as individuals

Reading around the subject took me to Paul's letter to the Philippians, where I then discovered the word 'yokefellow'... which led me deeper into the concept. More later...

Must Try Harder

"Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all"

(SASB 136, verse 4 - lyrics by Isaac Watts)

The last verse from 'When I Survey The Wondrous Cross' echoes through my mind tonight as I write this blog entry. I am trying hard to get down what I feel while it is still fresh in my thinking.

We've been reflecting on periods of 'darkness' during this week as part of our Lent reflections, preparing us for Easter which is just around the corner. I must admit to times when I struggle with my own times of darkness, fighting my own inadequacies, bouts of foul mood. I have certainly felt it this weekend. I try my best, however it never seems to be good enough and I end up feeling frustrated. I do some preparation for use during the weekend but at the end of the day it simply wasn't up to scratch. I battle on, trying to go the extra mile for people and end up feeling physically drained as a result. I can't even seem to press the right button on a keyboard when I have to. Why is this part of my Christian walk seem to be uphill most of the time? Feeling very weary tonight.

And then I hear stories about followers of Jesus who win through despite worse conditions that I suffer. Heroes from within my own church who excel, who do wonderful things. Contemporary saints who face physical danger and even death to help others and to tell others about their faith.

I feel so inadequate. I end up giving myself 3 out of 10, 'must try harder'. I want to be out there with these 'heroes', doing what they are doing, but it all goes awry. Praying hard tonight, as I certainly echo Jesus' words, here:

Matthew 26:41

(New International Version, ©2011)

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

This extract from Paul's letter to the believers in Corinth, talking about his 'thorn in my flesh' speaks volumes to me today, as I write this I'm feeling quite weak and lousy. I think I might have one of the bugs that have been buzzing around. Now, I'm not comparing in any way Paul's thorn to my minor bug, however I hate being prevented to do what I want to do by ill-health. Why does it have to happen to me when I get a week off?

God is good. And uses all opportunities to teach us...

Weary Ways and Golden Days

As I write this blog entry, I must admit to feeling more than a little tired. In fact, following a frantic weekend away and after a solid eight hours kip last night I still feel like I haven't slept! Mind you, I've just been looking back on all the places I've been to this September: Stratford, Swanley, West Kingsdown, all around the streets of Dartford (annual appeal), Portsmouth, Croydon, Camberwell, Lewisham, Brownsea Island... Just think about all the people I've met, all the experiences ... What a rush! Of course if you analyse each activity you will realise there are some tremendous highs, followed by periods of nothing, extreme boredom, or tedious repetition. But that's life! The important thing I've learnt is to keep your eyes on where you need to get to. And I feel several steps closer to my goal now!

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before his face I see.

But I know whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that he is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto him against that day.
SASB 730, verse 4 & chorus
(Daniel Webster Whittle, 1840-1901)