By Lisa S Tarno

Have you ever felt out of sorts, stuck in a rut, unmotivated and/or discombobulated? Maybe it comes from feeling overwhelmed at the tasks before you and instead of tackling them, you put them off for another day? Maybe something has hindered your regular way of doing things, like an injury or illness, and you find it hard to literally find your footing? Maybe there’s been a lot of disruption to a normal flow of living and you find it hard to get back to a routine? Whatever it is, it feels like your world is on tilt and finding balance is a challenge.

That’s where I am at these days and it’s not how I normally operate. What I know to be true of most humankind is that we tend to revert to the battle of least resistance in our times of less than disciplined living. Though that’s where we go, I still loathe the sloth in me at times and offer myself little grace in those times. Not only do I do what I know not to do but I compound it with self inflicted guilt. If I step back and analyze this, what I first see is a battle of the mindset. 

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he [in behavior…]” Proverbs 23:7 AMP  Or as one teacher teaches, “Where the mind goes the man follows”. 

FEELING:  I’m overwhelmed ACTION: I’m paralyzed with inaction

VS

FEELING: I’m overwhelmed REDIRECT: Ask God for wisdom  ACTION: Make a list

Tackle one at a time

FEELING: I’m unmotivated ACTION: I don’t do anything

VS

FEELING: I’m unmotivated REDIRECT: Set mind on doing one thing

ACTION: Do one thing to benefit self or others: Exercise, Read, Write an encouraging text, 

Organize a closet…(you’ll be amazed how organizing one area of your home will inspire you to do another area)

FEELING: I feel blah about… ACTION: ? REDIRECT: Go to the instruction book of life (BIBLE)

Pray about it, cast your cares and concerns

Ask for wisdom from God…wait for Him to respond

Start a gratitude list: What are you grateful for?

FEELING: I feel blah… REDIRECT: I choose to feel JOY because I am thankful for…

So forth and so on! I have often taught my own sons to take a feeling they are feeling and trace it back to what they have been thinking about. Feelings seem to stem from what’s been brewing in our minds. If it is stinking thinking, that’s not from God, so recognize that’s not beneficial and redirect your thoughts. “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, THINK CONTINUALLY on these things [center your mind on them, implant them in your heart]. Phil 4:8 AMP

Not only is it a battle of the mindset, but physical limitations can alter one’s behavior. However, even in times of sickness or injury, we still benefit from setting our minds on things above and having a positive mind. We may be limited in action, but we can still choose to be a blessing to others with our words, prayers, actions that are accessible, and even our presence. Illness and injuries can turn the focus terribly myopic! Yes, one must preserve energy to get to a healed state, but in the meantime, MINDSET is of utmost importance. It is terribly easy to slide into self pity in those times and we must be diligent to not let that happen to us!

Finally the word I don’t much offer myself: GRACE! Yes, there are times when we must have grace for ourselves and others and gently redirect. Take a look at life’s circumstances as of late. What’s been going on in your world? We can’t always be 100% on and disciplined all our lives and we need to afford ourselves the grace to accept that and extend to others. The grace we should offer and receive is not a perpetual invitation to feeling okay with blah and unmotivation. It’s a bench to temporarily sit on and process through and then get back into the game of life. 

To find my rhythm, I must be okay to slow down and assess and then redirect my life. We live in seasons. Some are more vibrant and active and some are not. It’s the ebb and flow of life. But what is certain and of utmost importance is to live with a positive mindset as prescribed in Philippians 4:8 in the Bible. This is the prescription for a good life!