Roll with the Punches

Stress /stres/ (noun) - a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. synonyms: strain, pressure, nervous tension, worry, anxiety, trouble, difficulty. 

Exams. Deadlines. Self-image. Self-worth. Work. Kids. Relationships. Money. Addiction. Cancer. Sickness. Loneliness.  Fear.

Insert whatever you want.

Everyone carries a different burden that comes with a different type of stress.  Everyone has their own way of coping.  Differences create diversity, and that's great, but maybe our views need to change.

We all know that person who stresses over every. little. thing.  The person who has an anxiety attack over their philosophy exam the next day, the person who got a parking ticket and their world has come to a standstill, or the person who got scolded by their boss and they will now hate him or her forever, no exceptions.  We get so worked up about the little things, we hold grudges, and we compete with other people about who has more going on in their lives.  It's a natural instinct for most of us to just freak out when things start to get hard, or don't go as we planned.  Often times this deflects on to the people we love.  Stress gets in the way of indulging in small things that bring happiness, or it just gets in the way of joy in general.  Sometimes I find myself thinking, "Ugh...if this one thing wasn't going on right now, then I would be able to fully enjoy this moment."

I have a friend that God strategically put into my life when I moved to Boone.  I met her at my bible study and she has continually given me new perspective on life.  She has been heavy, heavy, heavy on my heart the past 36 hours.  Two nights ago a close friend of hers passed away.  His name was Dylan and he was only 17-years-old.  He had been in a tough battle with Leukemia and other health related issues and he lost his battle to a severe heart attack.  Watch this video to see his story.  Seriously.  

Last night Caroline and I were sitting in my car at her apartment complex and she was talking to me about Dylan, and how joyful and happy he always was, regardless of the chemo, regardless of the pain, regardless of the fear.  Everyone who met him felt like they knew him forever.  He had a knack for making people feel welcome.  This boy began his fight with cancer at a young age and never knew "normalcy" the way that other adolescents and teenagers did.  A few nights ago he had just been talking to Caroline about how pumped he was to go to his high school prom.  Wow.  How quickly life can change.  Just like that, in the blink of an eye.  We are so temporary.  I can't imagine what Caroline, or his many other loved ones are going through.  This is a heavy burden, one that makes a small quiz look like an anthill in comparison to a castle.

Caroline said something in particular that really impacted me.

"If Dylan could find joy through everything he was going through, so can I."

What a cool way to think about it.  She told me about how two nights ago, when things were incredibly fresh, and the shock of it all was just setting in, she started to make a list of 10 blessings in her life.  Tonight she was able to tell me how incredibly blessed she was and how much she had to be thankful for.  I hope that I would have this same attitude after losing one of my closest friends.  When things are rough, and darkness seems to surround you, give this a shot.  Make a list of 10 blessings in your life.  Don't make it about self-pity, don't make it about you, it isn't about you.  Don't let your stress, whatever that may be, negatively impact others who love you and hate to see you hurt.  Make it what you will, it truly is your decision.  But if you could chose happiness over any other feeling, wouldn't you?

James 1:2-4

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

When your hope is set in Christ, all outlooks change.  Hold on to these verses.  Some stresses in life are just 90 million times harder than others, but they will pass, all things do.  Nothing of this world is permanent, which may sound wonderful to some of you, though incredibly scary to others.  Things that are light-years better than our greatest earthly treasure are yet to come.

Today will you let the little things decide the fate of your day or will you roll with the punches and make lemonade out of lemons?  Don't allow your burdens to become your idols.  Things aren't going to go our way.  It isn't going to be rainbows and butterflies all of the time.  That's just reality.

I hope Dylan's story impacts you, as well as Caroline's unique outlook.  Death is no easy issue, but her hope in Christ is incredible.  Her outlook amidst this situation is inspiring.

Thinking about the end is hard, but it's inevitable.  What kind of impression will you leave on others?  Be the person people want to gravitate towards.  Remember all that you have been blessed with.  Choose to be the person who pushes through the small things, bigger burdens are to come, guaranteed, but with hard times come periods of growth and renewal.

Reach out to those whose struggles are so vast and consuming.  This is no competition.  We're all stressed and carrying different burdens, but someone is ready to help carry yours.

Roll with the punches and keep moving forward, you never know how your actions will influence someone else.