Sometimes I’m a Mess

Cranky days. Stressed out days. Confused or anxious days. Days that I end up thinking, saying, or doing wrong things. Please tell me that some of you also have days when you finally look up at the heavens and say, “Lord, I’m a mess. Please help me.”

I don’t know about you, but I can be a mess mood-wise every now and then. Hormones play havoc with my moods at times, but other times I may not be handling stress very well or I might have fallen prey to the tactics of our spiritual adversary, the devil. He loves to keep me tied up in fear, anxiety, or confusion. Yep, sometimes I’m a mess.

Some days I’m a mess physically. It might be due to lack of sleep or a flare-up of the inflammatory arthritis that began paying me visits when I was just in my thirties. And every now and then I get sick, and—though I hate to admit it—I’ve even been known to injure myself. Yep, sometimes I’m a mess.

Occasionally, the mess-monster invades my writing life. At times I can’t seem to move forward or get past the hurdle of the blank page. Getting started on a new piece—whether  an article, a chapter, or a blog post—is one of the hardest parts of writing for me.

Other times, my brain feels foggy or clogged. The words don’t flow, and I struggle for each sentence. I grow more frustrated by the minute because I’m falling further behind in paring down the stack of projects I’m trying to complete. Yep, sometimes I’m a writing mess.

And then there’s my spiritual life. I can also be a mess in that area. I’ve already mentioned how the enemy tries to color my moods or emotions, but he also does his best to keep me falling into the traps I’m most vulnerable to—pride, a critical spirit, or the tendency to try to perform to stay in God’s good graces when Jesus has already done that for me. Yep, sometimes I’m a mess.

Can any of you identify? The good news is that God doesn’t turn us away when we’re having messy days.He wants us to cry out to him and admit when we’re a mess. In fact, he probably wonders why we don’t do it earlier.

Next time the mess-monster comes calling, how about we apply the brakes earlier than usual? Why not cry out for help earlier? Our God is ready and waiting to come to our aid. We’ll all—our families included—be the better for it.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

*What other tips could you recommend for dealing with the mess-monster?

*Flickr photo by greg westfall

Comments

  1. I’ve been having a lot of messy days lately, and finally realized that I haven’t been following my spiritual routine.

    When I’m reading, listening, praying, all of the “mess” of life seems so much more manageable and I can turn things over to God more easily.

    I love the Westfall photo you posted. It’s great!

  2. Hi Cheryl,

    Thanks for stopping by my post “A Celestial Slant on Cowboys.” Sorry for my delay in getting back to you. My internet has been spotty.

    Yes, no location too remote, no moment too busy for him not to step into our scenes and speak the words we need to hear. I love that!

    In our mess, we can approach his throne… I like the image of running up to his lap.

    Have a great week.

    Jennifer Dougan
    http://www.jenniferdougan.com

  3. Debbie, your tip about dealing with messy days is spot-on and very insightful. Thanks for sharing and so glad you enjoyed the photo as well. A great shot for this post!

    Jennifer, I agree — the image of running to climb into God’s lap is a sweet one indeed. So glad we can approach him with confidence!

  4. I am so glad to know that I am not the only one that feels this way. I have come to realize that many of my messes come from my attitude. That’s why i think it is so important to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

  5. Jayne, welcome to my blog! You are right — renewing our minds makes a huge difference. Thanks for sharing!

  6. I can definitely relate :)

  7. When my messy days arrive, I take a long walk, a hot bath, and pull away for some quiet time with Jesus. It’s how my mess gets cleaned!

    You’re not alone, Cheryl. You’re in good company, rather, messy company;)

    peace~elaine

  8. Emily and Elaine, so glad to know I’m not alone! And Elaine, love your strategy for dealing with messy days. Thanks for sharing.

  9. Well, phooey, Cheryl, I was really looking up to you as a got-it-all-together-gal, and then you posted this!

    Why is it so comforting to learn that other people are a mess too?? Misery loves company, perhaps?

    Sometimes I look around and think that I am living in squalor and chaos – dirty dishes, dirty floors, dirty car, messy studio, no make-up, unfinished work, busy all the time with nothing to show for it. Then, I slam through a few things, usually praying while I am slamming, and things start to feel better.

    Great post, my friend!

  10. Thanks, Jana –and sorry to burst your thinking-I’ve-got-it-all-together bubble :) I take comfort, too, in finding that others are also a mess at times. It’s nice to know that others understand, isn’t it? And I agree — praying definitley helps!

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