Ease it Up

What if...

What if we could live a life free of tension and frustration?

What if we could just observe and let things happen without freaking out and overreacting?

What if we enjoy life and are okay even if everything and everyone around us is not?

Living like that feels like a far-fetched fantasy, naive notion, or a late-night infomercial scam, not a real possibility.

But what if?

What if a life of at least some ease is within our reach?

Did you just get triggered when you read that? Yeah, me too.

A life of ease? HA! Yeah, right.  

In this economy?

In this political climate?

With all the stress at work?

With all the family drama?

With all the worries of the world?

How can we live a life of ease when everything around us is on fire and falling apart?

What are we supposed to do, flamingo our way through and stick our heads in the sand, pretending everything is fine (fun fact - flamingos bury their heads in the sand to get snacks, not to hide from the world. Who knew)?

Are those our only two choices?

Choice #1 - Run around overreacting and over-responding to EVERYTHING

Choice #2 - Numbing out and disengaging

There has to be another way.

How about we consider Choice #3 - EIU (Ease it up) pronounced EWE - just to make it fun.

Ease it up just a bit. Rather than jumping into action, we can use some of the tools we learned with NBAK (notice, breathe, again, kindness). Notice what is happening and breathe a few hundred times. Be kind to yourself, and then...

Ease

It

Up

Up - like upwards.

Think of yourself gently lifting this great strain you feel weighing you down and lifting it to God. While the situation feels heavy, lifting it up to God feels ease-ier (see what I did there?).

God, can you take this? It's way too heavy for me, and my shoulders can't bear it anymore. It's weighing me down, and I need help.

I trust you with this God; here you go.

I wish I could add a sentence right here that goes something like, "And now that you have EIUd it, everything is going to be problem-free and perfect."

Wouldn't that be awesome?

While EIUing won't fix everything or make all your troubles disappear, it will allow God to help you and give you strength and rest.

Easing it up will give you some freedom and relief.

You don't have to do it all yourself or just shut down completely.

Try easing it up to God and finding some freedom and relief.

It's going to take some practice, I know.

Are you ready to give it a try with me?

Let's GOOOOOOOOOO!

Matthew 11: 28-30

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.

Philippians 4: 6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 16:33

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world." [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]