Plug in your emotional battery, by Rick Warren

In our Devotionals series, Pastor Rick Warren discusses the Bible passages that inspire him the most. Today's Devotional is based on this passage:

"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest'" (Mark 6:31 NIV).

Are you overwhelmed? Do you feel inadequate? Are you ready to blow at any moment? You can't love others in a godly way when you're at the end of your emotional rope. How many relationships have been ripped apart because the people involved failed to take care of themselves emotionally?

God's Word gives us three habits that can help us recharge emotionally when we have nothing left to give.

1. Solitude. Mark 6:31 says, "So many people were coming and going...[Jesus] said to them [the disciples], 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest'" (NIV). Jesus understood that your emotions are like a battery. If you plug one lightbulb into a battery, it will last for a fairly long time. If you plug in 100 lights, the battery will drain very quickly. Many of you have so many lights plugged in, your battery is shot. You can't recharge anybody else—you can't give love—if your own battery is drained. You recharge when you get away by yourself.

2. Play. The Bible says, "Jesus came enjoying life" (Matthew 11:19 PH). He was the most people-focused, ministry-intensive person who ever lived, yet he took the time to have fun. Certain activities recharge you emotionally; they literally re-create your energy and enthusiasm for life. We all have different activities that recharge us because we're all made differently. Find out what recharges you emotionally and make time for it.

3. Laughter. Proverbs 17:22 says, "Being cheerful keeps you healthy" (GNT). Studies prove that when you laugh, it increases your number of T-cells, which raises your immunity level. Laughter is good for your health. Humor is God's gift to us. Remember, God has a sense of humor—he made you!

To be emotionally balanced, take God very seriously but don't take yourself seriously. Learn to laugh at your limitations. There is plenty of material. If you only laugh and enjoy life when your problems are all solved, you'll never enjoy life.

i enjoyed this devotion very much today.. especially in light of the fact that i am tottering on the edge of being pms-ey this week! my emotions are in a very vulnerable place, and every little thing has the potential to make me act up. pms and hormones, while a very true part of every woman's life, is no excuse to be snappy, impolite, cry-ey and unhappy. God created all of us with the potential to be healthy, happy, virtuous and hardworking women (see proverbs 31) like Naomi and Ruth. these unwelcomed hormonal reactions are just another way for the evil one to emphasize our weaknesses, and always, always something to fight against, to pray about and trust the Lord to bring us through.

and that is why this devotion spoke to me especially much today. last night was less of an awesome night for me. but as i rationally thought through how i was feeling, i realised that all i needed was to be reminded that i am loved. so as i put my head on my pillow, i closed my eyes and entered into the presence of the One Person i know Who loves me even if no one else does. that unconditional, constant, unchanging love. during these vulnerable periods.. all the more reason to enter into that secret place each time my fuse threatens to blow or the floodgates of unnecessary tears threatens to open.

but God is good! and He never leaves us unable. so take heart ladies.. God created us emotional so that we might better love others.. and that includes loving ourselves through loving and relying on Him. (: im gonna go plug in my emotional battery now. HAHA

today i had a very very very exciting day!!! i went to be beach on my own... hahahaha it was a long walk, i took like 45 mins, what with all the slopes and all, but it was DEFINITELY worth it. last night i had decided that i wanted to take some time off today and just be with the Lord.. but when i got up this morning the skies were all overcast and the radio said it was gonna be rainy, cloudy and dreary ALL week. so i prayed as hard as i could... and the sun came out! just enough sun, for just enough time for me to be awed by the wonders of God and creation. just enough time for me to journal and pen down my thoughts. just enough time to take in the beauty of the Lord's creation and remember.

today i was reminded that i want to do great things for God.. i really do. again i come to the realisation that i am miles away from where i should be.. i am amazed that He hasnt yet given up on me.. after 21 years of all my variously stupid struggles, when i find it so difficult to just listen and obey and stop worrying and taking my life into my own hands. but God has been amazingly, amazingly good to me!

and in all.. i am glad that i am never alone (:

"Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—

rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves...

- 1 Peter 3:3-5

its gonna be a long journey..but nevertheless a very exciting one!

the past two weeks i have struggled, part on my own, part in prayer. it hasnt been till now that i have realised how thoroughly deceitful the human heart is. how stubborn we can be when we want something, and how strong our desires and our human will can be.

as this is something too personal to place on a public space, lets just call this issue "THE ISSUE". haha.

today i spent quite sometime reading some Christian articles on the issue and mulling over how i should deal with it. i also made used of the very awesome Bible gateway to find out what the Bible had to say about the issue. of course, nothing in the Bible is quite as clear as the ten commandments - when God begins with something that says "THOU SHALT NOT..." i think the intended meaning is pretty clear, unless you make yourself suffer from a sudden case of Nelsonian blindness. so as i read the conflicting arguments on both sides of the issue and what the Bible had to say on these points, i prayed real hard for a spirit that would want to follow the truth. i reminded myself that God has granted me a spirit of discernment, and that blatant disregard for God's Word would lead me down a path i did not want to go down.

all 21 years of my life God has sheltered me and protected me from what He knew i was unable to handle. that i am struggling with this issue only at this point in my life, i know God's faithfulness has kept me, and in many ways, that He also trusts me to handle this temptation with holiness and godliness.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

everything. even the things that make me suffer when i choose God's way and not satan's way, is for a reason. right now, my head is clear as clear can be. but no doubt there will be times when i am led by the evil one to believe that it is ok to give in to a particular temptation - whether it is worry or whatever that sin may be. but in those moments i trust that the Lord will guard my heart and my mind. that the Word will be my strength and pillar in those times, that i will remember that all good things come from God and He desires only good for me.

so God is good. thank God. (:

about 2 days ago i got to thinking about one of the unresolved people issues in my life. i am not by nature a very forgiving person, and i do not take it well when i suffer something i perceive to be an injustice to myself. im not a yeller nor one for confrontation, but i remember these things, i think about them and very often they eat me up inside for a considerable period of time (i think part of this has to do with this worrying streak inside me). eventually, of course, by God's grace, i am taught to let go of them.

but anyway back to the topic. as i reflected on the incident and mulled over how i could make things better, i realised that i had to think long and hard about why i was feeling indignant, and it took me awhile to piece together the various bits of why i was unhappy with x and vice versa. and for some reason i no longer felt a desire to explain or justify my intentions on certain issues that seemed to have been misconstrued by x. all i wanted to do was think of a way to make things better, cos it really doesnt matter who's right and who's wrong. praise God that all hurt has been healed in my heart! praise God that He is beginning to teach me to overlook the little, unimportant, unhappy things, and focus on the big plan He has for my future.

how apt that i reached this passage in my reading of 1 Corinthians yesterday.

"But for me it is a very small thing that i should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God."

- 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

i love how paul says 'it is a VERY SMALL THING that i shd be judged by you...'. that speaks volumes about his character, His love for the Lord and the depth of His understanding about the Lord and of Christ. it doesnt matter much what weight i hold in your eyes..it only matters what weight i hold in His. so i guess as i thought and prayed about it, His answers were pretty forthcoming.

at choir that night we sang a song called 'He will supply'. and truly He will! that same night i shared my thoughts on this with a friend..and the encouragement was priceless. (:

"Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." - 1 Corinthians 4:2

and i pray He keep me faithful! (:

i enjoyed reading 1 Corinthians 1 today. in this chapter, Paul addresses the problem of dissension in the church, following which, delves into a beautifully crafted description of Christ and His sacrifice. what stood out to me the most was how Paul described the gospel message as 'foolish'.

"for the message of the cross is FOOLISHNESS to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God." v18

"for since in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." v21

the message of the cross is foolishness. i find that so beautiful, but i have yet to reconcile my thoughts on the subject! on first read i thought i had grasped the essence of the passage..but as i read it again and i again i realised..NOT. haha. im mulling over this passage.. and asking Pastor Mitch for help. haha

i also loved this verse-

"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." v25

at some point or other, we all think that we're smarter than God. non-believers and believers alike. and we come before God and demand things to be done for us. 'well if youre real, just show yourself to me and i'll believe'. 'well if you want me to not do what im about to do you gotta find some divine way to communicate that to me. you cant? sorry man im gonna go ahead.' dude. He created the entire universe. He doesnt have to listen to your crap. hell, if I owned the universe, i would not be listening to what the little lizard on the wall has to say. especially not if he was trying to tell me that i shd run the universe according to his rules. (i think theres the reason right there why im not god. haha!)

thankfully, God is a lot more gracious than i am. when i make my stupid demands for things i want, He doesnt send a lightning bolt to zap me right out of existence, He continues this slow, but steady work in my heart.

"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;" v27

THANK YOU LORD for choosing me. thank You for never giving up for me. thank You for the wonderful, wonderful blessings i have been given in my life..i pray my life will be a reflection of all that You have been to me. and all that You have so graciously given. and i pray that i will always be thankful, and never ungrateful.

Amen!

tonight i learnt a very important lesson on trust.

Psalm 119

65 You have dealt well with Your servant,
O LORD, according to Your word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
68 You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
72 The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

im a worrier (everyone already knows that haha). but for the most part, when i worry about something, my heart, mind and soul is willing to accept whatever God's will is for my life. not 100%, not all the time, but for the most part there is no blatant unwillingness to obey God's will. perhaps it is because i have tasted of the goodness of the Lord and know that choosing a way contrary to God's way will cause me much heartache and unnecessary suffering (as i learnt quite well over the first half of 2008!). but these few weeks as i have been praying about something that i want, ive found the sin of blatant disobedience surfacing in my heart (how conceited ive been thinking its been gone - its just gone into hiding!).

everyone knows the intents of their own heart. when you give a sweet smile to someone, only you and God know what you really are thinking. so as i prayed about this -thing that i want-, i found myself unwilling (and i do mean really unwilling) to let go, and trust God for all He plans. a sure sign is when i do not conclude my prayers with "Lord let your will be done, i trust You for whatever You bring into my life." i am always aware when my heart is not right before God - sometimes, i just choose to ignore it.

many months ago, in one of my deepest, downest moments, i prayed the single most important prayer of my life (ok, maybe second to the prayer i made for Christ to enter my life haha).

"Lord dont give up on me." no matter what a hopeless case i become, no matter how far ive strayed, no matter what doubts fill my mind, please, please, please, dont let go.
in my most broken moment, i knew that if i didnt pray this prayer there was a possibility that i would slip away (dont EVER think youre immune from attack from the evil one, cos when you think that, its just beginning.) ive been told many times that thats a pretty bold prayer to make. haha. cos that means im telling God that if a catastrophe is what it takes to bring me back to Him, do it. but deep in my heart when i made that prayer, i knew that my life would never be more full with Christ in my heart. nothing could be worse than not knowing Him

so today i realised that He definitely did hear my prayer. that this is part of His answer to me. that He Who begun a good work in you, truly will be faithful to complete it.

today i say thank You Lord, for taking me seriously. thank You for promising to never give up on me, and always remaining faithful in what You've promised. You truly are good. (: