Recently, I received an email from a friend of mine who now works in an IT department for a hospital. By his own admission, he’s not what you would call a computer expert. Here’s the thing though–on a couple different programs he knows just a little bit more than most other people he works with. In their eyes, he’s an expert.
I can’t say I know much about computers either. I guess I know a little more than some people, but not enough to trouble shoot or fix significant issues. My default “fix” for most computer problems I encounter is to just shut down and restart.
I don’t know why that works, but it does…at least some of the time.
There are times when my mind behaves like my computer. It happens when I begin to dwell on a certain problem and can’t find a solution. Or I begin to contemplate some “what if?” scenario that never ends well. Sometimes I start trying to solve a new issue before I’ve resolved the first one. It only gets worse when I add a third or fourth issue.
If you could peak into my mind during those times, it’s like you’d see the little cursor spinning around and around and around, but nothing would be happening. My mind is occupied by too many issues that it can’t resolve, so it gets stuck. It’s like I’ve got too many programs running.
Recently, I’ve been caught in one of those modes. I’ve got several issues that occupy much of my mental energy. My thoughts jump from one to the other. None get resolved and they each consume large amounts of think time. Other “programs” (relaxing, engaging with family, having fun, etc.) don’t have enough power to run effectively.
Maybe you can relate.
You’ve got an issue at work. Another one with a child. There’s financial pressure. Add in a conflict with a friend and an uncertain health issue. And the little cursor keeps spinning and spinning and spinning…but nothing happens, nothing gets fixed, nothing is resolved. Next steps are unclear.
Maybe it’s time to shut down and restart. I know…that’s easier said than done. It’s hard to just stop worrying or feeling anxious. Actually, I don’t think it’s possible to just stop feeling anything.
It’s our thoughts that determine our feelings, so it’s our thoughts that have to change. But where do we start?
Proverbs 3:5-6 says:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Lean not on your own understanding. That’s my biggest, ongoing mistake. I approach my problems and circumstances with my own understanding. And that starts the spinning cursor.
What if instead of leaning on my own, limited, flawed understanding, I placed my complete trust in the LORD and acknowledged Him in all my ways? Right from the start. What if I refused to get caught in the “own understanding” mode and instead trusted God to give me His wisdom, His resources and His solutions?
What if by trusting in the LORD and not leaning on my own understanding, I could experience His joy, His peace and His presence? No worry. No fear. No anxiety. No spinning cursor.
What’s your cursor doing?
Maybe it’s time to shut down by refusing to lean on your own understanding…and restart by trusting in the LORD.