I love using verses in my classes that speak of the gentle yoke of Christ or the peace of God. I love to rest in the favor and love of God and find peace of mind. But faith does not survive on an easy life.
The truth of the matter is: Daily life is hard.
And even though a good meditation session can really restore my mental and emotional outlook and remind me of the promises of God, I find myself continually in need of this.
Life is draining and the daily stresses can really drag you down and burn you out. Everywhere you look, someone needs something from you. And you give, give, give. Doesn’t a part of you want something for yourself? Aren’t we entitled to our own needs and wants?
But that’s just it; where did we first learn that our own happiness took priority? When I find myself getting cranky, because it is an hour past lunchtime or I didn’t get my cup of coffee or someone else’s needs caused an inconvenience to me, I think where did I learn it was all about me?
Even in my yoga classes: it is a time for me. Listening to my body. Doing what feels good to me. The terminology sounds so great because I love ME. What if part of yoga meditation was praying for the person beside you? Or looking inside ourselves to rid ourselves of self and gain wisdom from God?
“I must decrease. He must increase.”
When do you find your own comforts taking priority in life? Where do you think this need for comfort and pleasure originated?
I think it is natural for us to put ourselves first. We have to be taught differently. The Bible teaches us to put others first, but we don’t do a very good job of putting that into practice. It would help if parents would start teaching their children when very small to think of others. Maybe we mothers have caused a lot of the problem by always trying to make the child happy. It is hard to break habits, but God is very good at teaching us and transforming us into His image, a little more each day. Besides, God is the God of comfort, the greatest kind!