Caught up in the moment.
It’s an easy place to wind up, unaware we’ve veered off course.
It’s the kind of host that refuses to let us leave on time.
It’s a bit like the junk drawer we fill up with useless stuff while complaining about a lack of storage space.
How often we find ourselves there, wanting to leave but frustrated and flailing instead.
We get caught up in things that aren’t worth our time, but instead of walking away, we stay in a tizzy. Share on XOften, that’s because:
- We want to get lost in the feelings and feel validated in the process
- We want the mess we’re already blaming someone else for to be a huge one
- We want to be certain the stuff gets heaped up and buried big at once
- We want to feel in control while we don’t have control
Despite our sin-warped impulse to stay in a tizzy, we still know that getting caught up in the mess and emotions of the moment isn’t usually helpful. Often, our “caught up” causes us to miss out, waste time, and spend our hearts on junk that isn’t going to matter in a few hours, days, or years.
Lifelines can help us get out of the tempting snare quicker. They can save us from wasting the precious on the putrid and pointless.
Here’s a lifeline I’ve come to love- (indulge me in a silly pseudo-rhyme:)
Will it last? If not, let it pass.
This lifeline can help keep the fretting at bay. Ask it when you’re about to mull over that small offense one more time, giving the petty issue authority to trample another few minutes of your day. Consider it when a problem that will resolve itself is begging for your over-qualified attention anyway.
Challenge what you want to get caught up in with the truth: things that keep you in a tizzy aren’t usually worth sticking around for.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” –Ephesians 5:15-17
God’s will for the wise has never been that we toil futilely. He asks us to join Him in work that will last, and even warns us against spending our time on things that won’t withstand the refinement of the eternally valuable.
Will you choose today to protect your time against this temptation?
We have lasting work to do, and being tied up in knots isn’t part of it.
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Bethany, there is much wisdom in this post. “Will it last? If not, let it pass.” So true. May God help me each day so that I do not get caught up and tied up in knots. Blessings!
May God help us both! Thank you, Joanne!
Bethany, such great words here. I love your poem. I need to incorporate it into some of my decisions. 🙂 I love your photos, too. 🙂 Gorgeous!
Thank you, Jeanne!!
This is great wisdom! It can be easy to get caught up in things that don’t really matter and waste a lot of our time! Also, God can sort things without us. Last week there was something that was causing me stress and could have taken a lot of my time to deal with but I decided to let it go and that it just wasn’t worth the effort. A couple of days later it all got resolved, completely unexpectedly, without me having to do anything. I know it doesn’t always work out like that, but I think you’re right that a lot of it is about control and sometimes it’s better to just let it go.
Isn’t that the truth?! So often what we “let pass,” ends up not being a big deal. Thanks for sharing how God has taught you about this, too!
Thank you! Love your words… “Will it last? If not, let it pass.” I appreciate this wise and truth-filled advice! I’ll be pondering this today and applying it when needed. Following you at #TellHisStory.
Thank you, Julie! Glad to share when I’ve been learning too!
Oh, how often do we stay in a tizzy simply to validate our tizzy?!?! This was very practical for me this morning…thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Me— too often! Thank you!
The moment I started reading this post a situation popped into my head, and I know I have to make a decision about cutting a responsibility there, but it’s so hard to say no and to feel as if I’m abandoning people. Your thoughts provided some helpful sifting questions.
So glad the questions are helpful, Michele! I hope your sifting is going well as you make this decision. Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
I love your “silly” rhyme. It’s perfect for me as I measure how I use my time and what the things are that take up my time. Saying “yes” is my usual response so I pray that your rhyme reminds me to pause before jumping into the “yes”.