It’s the
beginning of a new year. It should be a time of anticipation and joy. It’s a period
to set goals and move forward in specific areas. After all, if we don’t make
any plans, no improvements will happen, right? “If you fail to plan, you plan
to fail”, as the saying goes.
If we aren’t
pushing ahead, we’re sliding backwards. That’s it. There are no two ways about
it.
Human beings
are not static. We aren’t frozen in time, so to speak. Individuals constantly breathe,
move, and make decisions—for better or for worse. Yet, what if life intervenes
and we seem to have no control over some, or most, areas of our lives? What if
the decision-making process seems to be taken out of our hands?
That is
beyond tough, as I know well! Let’s examine the calamities some survivors,
including me, are going through right now:
- Flooding near their home
- Job loss near the traditional age of retirement
- Bankruptcy
- Severely life-limiting chronic illness that’s gone on for years
- Debilitating depression
- Disrespect and trauma in the home
- Children making self-sabotaging choices (for years)
- Spouses who aren’t willing or able to make a true emotional connection
- Not as financially successful as others in their chosen field
You may not
have any of these challenges. The list is not limited. There are a number of trials
that can initiate despair.
The Solution
The cure is
simple, yet elusive: Don’t be distracted by temporary setbacks,
whether they last for hours, days, or years. This is my main New Year’s
resolution; everything else will fall into place. My health will improve, as
our health is always impacted by our state of mind. My sense of peace within
the horrific storms of life will expand. Who knows what other benefits I’ll see
when I finally let go of trying to regulate something that’s, frankly, beyond
my control?
In
actuality, worry and anxiety never help, as I’ve learned through hard
experience. They are counterproductive. They are a trap. God only works in an
atmosphere of peace. It’s the devil who feeds on trouble.
The Trap (Skandalon)
The Greek
word, skandalon, is used quite a few
times in the Bible, particularly in the four gospels. Here are some explanations:
Strong’s
Concordance: “a stick for bait (of a trap) generally a snare, a
stumbling block, an offense.” It is the mechanism closing a trap down on the
unsuspecting victim.
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Vine’s
New Testament Dictionary: “an offense…always used metaphorically, and
ordinarily of anything that arouses prejudice, or becomes a hindrance to
others, or causes them to fall by the way.”
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Biblestudytools.com:
“impediment placed in the way and
causing one to stumble or fall.”
************
Wikipedia: “stumbling
block--a behavior or attitude that leads to sin.”
My Conclusion
Overwhelming
things happen to many of us. Often, life gets so tough that we want to throw
our hands in the air and give up—just stop trying. Here’s a crazy truth to
remember during times of ridiculous trauma: We choose our state of mind no matter
what we’re going through. We have the power to avoid disturbances and stay on
the path to peace.
How are you
avoiding the snares of anxiety and other distractions?
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