By Faresha
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Before returning back to the hustle and bustle of corporate America following a 7-month medical leave, I figured a little me time was what the doctor ordered. Being the compliant patient that I am, I scheduled myself a deep tissue massage. To say I was excited is an understatement! I went to bed dreaming about that great and glorious day. It finally arrived. About three minutes into the massage, I began to feel a little restless. I became aware of intrusive thoughts that were tormenting my mind with all the “what-if’s,” “how-to’s,” and “maybe’s,” concerning returning to work and they were causing me to become anxious. And then, my cell phone rang. I’m sure that violates the Massage 101 Code of Conduct! The therapist handed me my phone and made the kindest of requests: “Please silence your
phone.” And so, I did. Massage resumed. Thoughts resumed. Anxiety resumed. Phone rang. Again!?! The therapist, once again, handed me my phone. As it turns out, I missed the last step necessary to silencing my phone. As I went to complete the last step, Holy Spirit whispered, “Turn it off.” And I did.
Enter mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply the practice of being in the moment by actively engaging (some or all) your senses. Quite often, when we feel anxious, fearful or worried, it’s because we’re out the moment. In fact, we’re in past moments, future moments and potential moments (moments that may never happen). And what drives us to the point of anxiety is that we’re either in moments that we can’t control or are trying to figure out how to control and our mind becomes chaotic and overwhelmed. That’s a strategic weapon Satan uses to convince you to take upon yourself the cares (or anxieties) that God instructed you to cast on Him (1 Peter 5:7). Carrying what you are not intended to carry robs you of
mental peace and steals the beauty of the moment.
You’re probably wondering how I responded. I allowed myself to be mindful of the moment by being present in the moment. I took captive every thought (2 Corinthians 10:5) and used the Word of God not to silence them, but to turn them off. I engaged my senses. I engaged my sense of smell by taking deep breaths to inhale the calming fragrance of lavender that permeated the room; I engaged my sense of hearing by becoming in tuned with the machine that emitted sounds of crashing waves; I engaged my sense of touch by feeling the warmth of the massage table and feeling the release of tension from every knot the therapist applied pressure to. I was mindful of the moment. And when the moment was over, I did not turn the invasive thoughts back on neither did I retrieve them from the feet of the Father. I left them there.
So, Beloved, when you find yourself in a similar predicament, I encourage you to engage in the practice of mindfulness. Your moment may not be my moment. Your moment can be watching the sunset on your patio, going for a nature walk, spending time with family/friends, working out, taking a scenic drive, taking a warm shower, getting a mani/pedi, cleaning, organizing your home or simply sitting in silence. It doesn’t matter; life is full of moments! Whatever your moment is, allow the Lord to minister to you in that moment. Allow yourself to take in the beauty of all that He has created. Fill your hearts and ears with songs of praise and worship. Set your minds on thoughts that are true, lovely, noble, pure, right, admirable and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). Be anxious for nothing and let the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4: 6-7) be your portion-not just in that moment, but in all moments.
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