Just and Only

I am still on an enforced sabbatical from blogging and am slipping this one through the net by means of good resources.  I am hopeful that this enforced sabbatical will come to a close sooner rather than later, but I cannot say when that will be and just ask that you continue to hold on for the change that should come.  I’ll explain more as and when time allows.

Meanwhile what has motivated this little missive is the amazing way God teaches lessons through life experiences and the particular lesson learnt was about how focus on God and His instructions can save heartache and headache.  The imagery used to help with this lesson is of that of the crowded living room.

The typical home in my part of the world tends to have among other places what I term a living room where much of the recreational (indoor obviously) and communal activities take place.  In our case we only have one TV and it is located in the living room.  It is here that we will entertain guests in a relaxed setting and it is here every Friday evening that I enjoy nothing better than to relax in the company of my dear family.

So in this room there is enough space for a certain amount of people to converse and congregate.  Once that space is eaten up with too many people – by allowing too many people in the room – then things get congested, noisy, uncomfortable and an all round nuisance.  This is more often than not because more people are in the room than should be and the extras are usually uninvited and non-requested add-ons who have been allowed in out of courtesy but actually make no positive contribution to the space. 

Accommodating all becomes virtually impossible and instead there is a headache and heartache about how to deal with the claustrophobic pandemonium that is about to break out.  Sure, it would be nice if people took the hint and left because of the cramped space, but these people want to have their desires met whether it’s a casual conversation or a tearful confession.  All well and good for them, but far too much for the individual.

What happens to alleviate this is the stark action of clearing out those who are uninvited and unwelcome – once these negative, time-wasting, energy-draining influences are removed all of a sudden there is space and room to breathe and enjoy the company of the room and the people.  Tensions ease and peace remains because the focus has allowed things to settle.

What this has to do with life is that recently there have been a number of potentially upsetting and distracting incidents that have been designed to get me to lose my peace.  Some are so nonsensical, others are rather more serious but yet inexplicably mishandled by others.  What they all have in common is that I engage with someone else and the things blow up out of all proportion. 

So, for example, I enter into a conversation with someone to resolve an issue that is pressing and important.  My desire is singular and straightforward, and yet the other individual rather than listening and understanding comes in with all other kinds of arguments along specious and irrelevant lines trying to shift from the singular theme that I’m pressing home that is still very much in their favour.  Their other arguments are very much like the undesirables in the living room.  They endeavour to take up time, space and energy for no good whatsoever.  If I’m not careful I can get dragged down by all that and miss the point. 

Thankfully on that occasion, rather than get bogged down in it all, I was able to settle the bottom line with the other person and although they were still rankled, I left with peace because I did not allow the other irrelevant elements to distract me from the best outcome to the conversation.

This is where the just and only bit comes into it.  Life is complex enough.  When we can establish the line that we just need to take and only that line then it offers a focus that can give us a guide whenever we’re in danger of being distracted.  I am just doing this and I will only do this.  Like a follower of Jesus – I am just following Jesus and I am only following Jesus.  Regardless of other agendas that people might want to pursue, I know that these will only waste time, space and energy – I have none to waste – so that single mind and focus establishes a great deal of peace in an often turbulent and confusing situation. 

That is not to say there is no room for flexibility and being quick to discern when another path has to be taken or an important alternative comes to light.  It is to say that getting that focus right – what is the ‘only’, what is the ‘just’ – isn’t negatively limiting and restricting, rather it is liberating and fulfilling.  It is like the verse that says God keeps them in perfect peace whose minds are stayed on Him because they trust Him – the deal is that focus and singular focus prevents any undesirables from causing significant heartache and headache.

Just wanted to say that – and only that!  (Hope to be back soon.)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd