The last few weeks have both drained and filled me in ways I’m not even sure I can explain. Oddly enough, one of the things that helped me cope with overwhelming emotions was reading a chapter book to my oldest nieces and nephews, sending a chapter or two each day via voice message. My family is full of avid readers and listeners, which makes the escape of a good story enjoyable for all of us.
Did I just use the word “escape”?
I used to think distractions were an emotionally weak way to deal with an issue. I still think that they can be just that. But they can also give time to let emotions settle. A well-timed distraction can keep us from panicking, growing numb, or tuning out. A distraction contains the issue–good or bad–for a time until we’ve worked up the strength to deal with it.
Even when I manage to relinquish my preoccupation to the Lord, I still find it helpful to distract myself so I don’t snatch it back from His capable hands. You might find me organizing my pantry while listening to an audio book or praying aloud. Or deciding an across-town shopping trip must be done today, on foot, at tip-top speed. Or making a detailed and utterly useless list.
At some point, the issue must be addressed–the change faced, the sorrow grieved–and distractions must come to an end. We cannot heap distraction upon distraction and expect positive results.
Today as I was leafing through an old Bible study book, I saw that I had written an “escape plan,” practical steps to exchange my burdens for the yoke of Christ. “Stop. Praise. Pray. Distract. Share.” My goal had been to post these steps somewhere, but the idea got lost in the shuffle of life. Until today.
I guess I needed the reminder that distractions, useful as they are, are a means to an end and not the end themselves.
My Thoughts From Afar | 