Learning to live in the Kingdom of God
One of my family's summer traditions is to go out on Sundays to have a picnic dinner at a nearby park. Normally we drive to whatever park we decide to visit, however, this past Sunday, the park we wanted to go to was close enough that my parents decided that we would walk there instead.
When I learned of this decision, I was filled with a sense of irrational fear and panic. I was caught off-guard. Why did this simple change of plans have such a dramatic effect on me? As I have thought about it more, I have come to believe the roots of this incident have a lot to do with the habits of my thinking that God is trying to address during this season of life.
I am, by nature, a very routine-oriented person. I like to have events happen in a certain way, at a certain time. When this doesn't happen, my safety feels threatened, and this feeling manifests itself in fear and anger. I feel the need to control my circumstances and surroundings in order to feel secure
When I started working full-time at a call center in October, I faced more changes than I ever had before. I had to learn to adjust to working eight hours a day, five days a week. I had to deal with learning new skills, interacting with coworkers, and facing the occasional rude caller. Throughout all of this, God has been teaching me how to live in his Kingdom. It has been a tough, sometimes painful process. However, I have come to believe that even more than learning business skills or making money, this is the most important reason to continue at my job. If I can learn to trust that whatever happens, the Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not want, I shall be much better prepared for whatever comes next in life. As I dealt with this fear last Sunday, I was able to put the skills I have learned to use. Although I was still worried and insecure, I was able to remind myself of who God is, and what kind of world we are living in, and I ended up having a good time.
When I learned of this decision, I was filled with a sense of irrational fear and panic. I was caught off-guard. Why did this simple change of plans have such a dramatic effect on me? As I have thought about it more, I have come to believe the roots of this incident have a lot to do with the habits of my thinking that God is trying to address during this season of life.
I am, by nature, a very routine-oriented person. I like to have events happen in a certain way, at a certain time. When this doesn't happen, my safety feels threatened, and this feeling manifests itself in fear and anger. I feel the need to control my circumstances and surroundings in order to feel secure
When I started working full-time at a call center in October, I faced more changes than I ever had before. I had to learn to adjust to working eight hours a day, five days a week. I had to deal with learning new skills, interacting with coworkers, and facing the occasional rude caller. Throughout all of this, God has been teaching me how to live in his Kingdom. It has been a tough, sometimes painful process. However, I have come to believe that even more than learning business skills or making money, this is the most important reason to continue at my job. If I can learn to trust that whatever happens, the Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not want, I shall be much better prepared for whatever comes next in life. As I dealt with this fear last Sunday, I was able to put the skills I have learned to use. Although I was still worried and insecure, I was able to remind myself of who God is, and what kind of world we are living in, and I ended up having a good time.
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