Some Women Are From Mars, Too.

I am having a hard time finding deep thoughts these days.

When some people stress, they feel the need to process it out loud. It relieves them of dealing with things by themselves.

I am the complete opposite. As my family can attest, I tend to clam up and process internally. It allows me to think without external influences. It allows me to think through things thoroughly. To give myself a couple of days to let the emotions wear themselves out is usually very profitable for me and those around me. (Not super productive for a blog, but what can I say?)

I, personally, am not under a huge amount of stress. But I look around me, and people that I love are struggling with jobs, money, and marriages. The Big Stuff. I am watching these beloved people. Watching to see if their faith wavers. If they try and take a shortcut around their responsibilities to our God.

Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.

—Psalm 119:165

I just found this verse. It reminds me that if I know what God wants, it will be easier for me to do His will. I know. Profound. Right? I mean, how many of us would take a new job without some kind of training? How many of us have jumped into something completely unprepared? How much longer did it take? How much harder was it to complete?

EVERY time I choose to read and study God's word, I walk away with a peace and a purpose I didn't have before. I walk away with direction. And comfort. And resolve. And clarity. Those are some valuable resources as I view the world. Diluted. Confused. Manipulative. Selfish.

And I watch the people I love trying to maneuver in that environment. Some are a part of it, and some are not in this world. But all are affected by it. And as I watch them trudge through the struggles, I realize this:

I know I can rely on God for my life. Sometimes I just forget to give Him the daily grind.

And that, my friends, causes me unnecessary complications. The good news is, the more I read and study, the more I want to do the will of God. And the more I do the will of God, the less stumbling I will do. And the less stumbling I will do, the more upright I will walk. Free from anxiety. Relativism. Self-absorption. Full of grace. Humility. Clear-mindedness.

It's what I crave. And it's what is promised.