Reflections

January 8th, 2016

Pressure.

The feeling of stressful urgency caused by the necessity of doing or achieving something, especially with limited time.

The feeling of guilt for not doing something right.

Have you felt it?

Perhaps you feel it daily, the overwhelming presence of social pressure.

Perhaps it prevails in your family, where high expectations are set.

Perhaps you're in charge of leading a group, and you're afraid to show fear and your true emotions.

"Hold it all together, everybody needs you strong."

Maybe you've experienced it before. When the sheer force of pressure, stress, and guilt swarm and destroy your emotions, leaving you helpless and dazed.

"Chained by your control..."

We all want control. In the mess of this world we're in, we all want to somehow control something, even if it's a little. Because I know what's best for me and I know what I should do and I know how to fix everything.

Right?

But we've all come to a conclusion that indeed it is not true. Even the best fall to their knees... (anyone get the reference?).

"There's freedom in surrender, let it down, let it go..."

Have you ever had diarrhoea before?  

If you have, then you know the feeling... when you're holding it in the best you can, it hurts. It hurts a lot.

But when you finally let go, when you finally throw up... the feeling of relief and peace is like no other (trust me, I speak from much experience).

There is freedom in surrender. 

Embrace the freedom.

Because when it comes to matters that are bigger than you, worrying about them hurts your relationship with God and other people. 

So when you find yourself in these situations, take Elsa's advice: let it go.

"When you're on your knees and answer seems so far away..."

Have you ever been there? The deep pit of loneliness, desperation... depressed. 

When you're trying to do things, fill your schedule to push back the feeling.

That feeling of trying to stay strong, to not succumb to the pressure of the outside world. What do they know?

"No." you say.  You try your very best to control everything, to do as many good things, just to take your mind off the emptiness you feel inside.

"You're not alone..."

It says in Hebrews: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

 We are never alone in times of trouble, in times of pressure, and in times of control. 

Remember the cross? Jesus paid the ultimate price, and in doing so, he fractured his relationship with his Father. "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"

Jesus felt lonely. 

We are not alone in our lives... we have a Great High Priest who is perfect, yet merciful.

"...stop holding on and just be held"

Jesus will hold you in his infinitely powerful arms,

He will hold you in hand that held the stars,

He will hold you with the same hands that was pierced for you.

"If your eyes are on the storm, you'll wonder if I love you still..."

Don't tell God how big your storm is...

Tell the storm how big your God is.

"But if your eyes are on the cross, you know I always have an always will."

What has happened will never change. 

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If he loved you when he died for you, he loves that exact same amount today, whether you're succumbing to pressure, or whether you've done it all right.

"Come to me, find your rest... in the arms of a God who won't let go"

God will never leave you.

God will never forsake you.

Come to him... and he will give you rest.

When they need you strong... be weak and surrender to him who is the source of all strength.

Don't do what you know you can't do alone...

"Just be held."