Brain Freeze

My brain hurt this week. Sometimes I get just a little too much on my plate and I can physically feel my brain screaming for relief. So by Wednesday, I hunkered down in a quiet house after the boys went off to Deeper Life and regrouped. I needed that. I didn’t want to write, read or use my brain for anything. All that I was dealing with was very good and inspiring stuff. I was in a super mood, but my brain just ached from overuse.

So I reviewed highlights from a book I had recently read, turned on ESPN to catch up on some sports news, and prayed. That may seem like an illogical sequence of events, but oddness of those 3 things brought great relief. God always finds a way to work into the tiniest crevices and bring great fulfillment. As I prayed I could feel a release of tension and a great calmness and peace that only my Father can give. I was then prepared for what He needed me to do next.

I have often said that we can’t get so busy doing God’s work that we forget to let God work. I don’t ever want to fall prey to that. I love to listen quietly to His still small voice and follow His lead. However, I can’t do that if my brain is hurting and I’m focused on a project at work, Christmas lists or anything else of such nature. I want to keep Him at the center no matter what.

This is a daily process for me. Each morning as I sweat on my Elliptical, I thank God that He allowed me to wake up and then I surrender my day to Him. Once I give the day to Him, I also surrender my wants, my thoughts, and my actions. Even if I allow Him to claim the day, I need to be aware that I can’t get in the way of what He wants to do by my preoccupation or desires. It’s a package deal.

Isaiah 55:6 comes to mind as I focus on Him. “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”