As we drove up to the airport in Kona, Hawaii, I found myself sad that the trip was over. Wouldn’t it be nice to live permanently in vacation mode? You would be free from worry, stress, and anxiety to enjoy yourself, relax, laugh more, and have some fun. As I felt myself slipping into that bummed out state, I realized something.
Vacation is a state of mind. Ok, it might sound a little wacky, but it is true. Life can b
e tough; it throws us curve balls, fast balls, and knuckle balls, sometimes all at the same time. We find ourselves stressed out and barely holding on, let alone enjoying life. Personally, stress and worry are two major culprits in bogging me down and stealing my joy. We all have things that keep us from making the most of our days and, ultimately, life. How do we change that?
I found some answers in my Bible. In the last two years I have set out on making reading my Bible a priority. So many people say it is just some old book that’s irrelevant to today, so I wanted to find out if that’s true or not for myself. What I found has shocked me. My Bible is more relevant today than it probably was back when it was written. It is full of amazing stories, practical advice, and clear direction for how to have the best life possible. While that is an entry for another day, one of the practical applications related to enjoying my life came in the following verses:
- Luke 12:25-26 ~ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
- Proverbs 12:25 ~ Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
- Psalm 37:4-5 ~ Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.
- Isaiah 40:31 ~ But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
- Nehemiah 8:10 ~ Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
- Psalm 94:19 ~ When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
There is no need to worry; it doesn’t change a thing. It does steal your joy and wreak havoc on your body though. With a fresh perspective, I realized that I should be thankful for all of the recent adventures Steve and I enjoyed together. I celebrated our special memories and decided that when we went home, I would make it a point to savor each day together.
Just because responsibilities are weighing on us doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun. We make sure to have fun together in some way each day. Laugh often together. Take time away from everything to just relax together, even if it’s for five minutes at the end of the day. And, we decided that regular getaways together away from everything are a must.
Life is a gift, not a guarantee, and it is up to us what we are going to do with it. We can squander it on worry, stress, pointless endeavors, materialistic greed, addiction, and a million other dead-ends. Or, we can enjoy, savor, appreciate, and make the most of our precious gift.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.”
~B. Olatunji
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