We truly live in an unprecedentedly hard time. As the pandemic lingers on, you have been feeling hard-pressed upon from all factors and forces of life. You have worked so hard to do a good job as a husband/wife, father/mother, son/daughter, friend, employee, etc. You feel frustrated at the fact that no matter how hard you work and how much you offer, things are not always going the ways you have expected. Not everybody you serve appreciates and affirms you. You doubt whether all that you do will ever be enough. You feel anxious, angry, and stressed out. You long for relief, heartfelt joy, and peace, which you haven’t had for a long time.
You are not alone. We are in this storm together, trying to persevere through it and rise on top of it. It has been a hard journey! The daily stress and much emotional pain manifested itself in symptoms such as anxiety, depression, burnout, self-doubt, and numbness. You wonder where the exit for all these is. As Corrie ten Boom, a Holocaust survivor and writer said: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.” Here is the answer for us believers in Christ. As the Psalmist asked in Psalm 121: “I lift my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth”.
How do we intentionally look at Christ in the midst of stressful situations that constantly distracts our sensory systems?
- Carve out a moment in your daily life. Situate yourself in a quiet corner. Beware of the presence of the Lord with you.
- Lift your eyes up toward whichever direction that gives you the calmest and grounded feel in your body. Learn to be comfortable with silence and quietness in your inner world and with the Lord.
- Notice what you experience in your body and what comes up in your mind. Allow yourself to converse verbally and non-verbally with the Lord, and allow his peace to come into your mind, your body, and your spirit.
