Restpiration

Getting into your state of flow

Depression, anxiety, boredom and stress seem to be the unfortunate companions of the modern- day youth. Coupled with the uncertainties of the pandemic, these emotions may even drift the youth along the paths of hopelessness and pointlessness in life. This is where the ancient words of wisdom find their meaning in letting us know that there is abundance in the field of the poor but it is laid waste by injustice (Proverbs 13:23). It is a feeling of being in the heart of the ocean yet dying of thirst or having so much yet enjoying little.

So what can be done to cultivate and harvest your field of youthfulness? It is actually the same that can be done to get yourself from feeling stuck and uninspired into the flow of life. Maybe the findings of Csikszentmihalyi (whom I will conveniently refer to as DR. C) can give us some insight.
DR. C and his research team set out with an objective, that is to find the underlying factors that contribute to restlessness, fatigue, irritability, insomnia and lack of concentration in the population. These were days where these symptoms were entirely linked with Mental disorders. But DR. C discovered otherwise. He devised a very clever experiment in which he made the participants record all their fun activities (activities they performed not because they were obliged to but for the mere reason that they enjoyed them). The next thing he did was to give a very simple but as we’ll discover later, monstrous instruction.

He instructed them not to perform these activities from the time they woke up till 9pm throughout the duration of the study.
However, the experiment had to be promptly stopped not because it was a failure, but because it was an overwhelming success. Even at the end of the first day, the participants were reported to have experienced increased sluggishness and headaches. With time, some were reported to have exhibited suicidal tendencies. Drawing a few conclusions from this study I’ll like to recommend these easy steps to get yourself from the low into the flow:

Create a list of activities you enjoy doing. These may not be activities you are obliged to perform but you find them as a nice way of passing the time.
Create a list of activities that you are obliged to perform. For these activities, there are usually consequences and even punishments for failing to perform them.
The first list gives you what makes you thrive and the second, what makes you survive. Living is a balance of both, surviving and thriving.
Whenever you are immersed in a survival activity and you feel overwhelmed, stressed and bored, it is nature’s way of telling you that you’ve been on the surviving end for far too long and that it is time to thrive. Go in for the thriving activities!
The wonder about this is that the thriving activities fuel your creativity and motivation to excel in the survival activities.

Most importantly, know the source of hope- Jesus. With Him, you just cannot go wrong!

Continue reading “Getting into your state of flow”

How to enjoy intimacy with God

Dear friend, there are many situations in life that may try to draw you away from the spirit of gratitude and praise but look to the Lord and His goodness at all times. God is good not some times, He’s good at all times. This time around choose to praise the Lord.

One scripture that I really like to quote is John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” I’ll want to harp on this scripture today albeit in a different light. I’m confident that the things you’ll learn here will revolutionize your life and bring you that intimacy that you desire to have with the Lord.

Intimacy is a huge word; not in terms of vocabulary but in its experience and application in our daily lives. If there’s one thing both introverts and extroverts have in common, then it is the fact that they all have few intimate relationships in their lives.

I believe that when Jesus was about ending His earthly ministry, He assured us of the presence of the Holy Spirit in us purposely to open us up to intimacy with God. The Holy Spirit is all that God wants to be to us. One of the striking attributes of the Holy Spirit is that He is our counselor. If you’ve ever enjoyed the service of any counselor, you’ll really appreciate this.

During a counseling session, the counselor has only one focus, which is his client. A good work ethic of every counselor is to put away every form of distraction to ensure that any information communicated by the client either in word, facial expression or mannerism isn’t lost.

We don’t have to worry too much about that part; the Holy Spirit is very good at what He does. However, this is where we really need to consider; the client after receiving the counselor’s full attention in an encouraging atmosphere should also make the choice to open up their hearts to pour out what ails them.

Generally, information communicated during counseling sessions aren’t communicated in our normal day-to-day interactions. They are more personal and things we’ll gladly like to conceal from the rest of the world. But when you have someone before you whose reputation shows that he can help you coupled with the fact that he cares about you and devotes time and attention to you, then why not take the chance?

Vulnerability or opening up is a major step to intimacy. That is the breakthrough that allows our hearts to be connected to the heart of others. Vulnerability lifts the barrier for the living waters to flow freely to the dry and parched places in our lives.

Can I encourage you today to practice this kind of vulnerability in your relationship with the Lord? The good news is that, knowing who God is, we can be sure that He wouldn’t condemn us or tell on us.

Instead, He stays with us and gently leads us out of every trouble. What is that thing that ails your heart? Talk to the Mighty Counselor about it. He will comfort your heart and assure you of His eternal presence and love.

Instead of being intimidated by the situations of your life, through vulnerability, you can use those situations to deepen your intimacy with the Lord. Remember that all things work together for your good, yes, even the not- so- good things.

Take out some time today to be with your Mighty Counselor, and respond with an open heart. It will definitely be the best time in your day. Also share with us how your counseling session goes. Have a great day!

~THE RACE OF LIFE~

Over these past months, I’ve developed an unusual interest in athletics particularly in the track events. It’s always a joy watching Tori Bowie thrill the crowd with her long strides as she bends over the finish line. Not forgetting the master executioner, Allyson Felix as she strategically controls the pace of the 400m dash.

However, the most important thing about the track event is how it offers practical lessons about life. Life as stated in the Bible is a race.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

But like every race, there are certain rules that it plays by. For instance, when an athlete runs so well but completes the race in another’s lane, in spite of how well she ran she is disqualified.

Similarly, we are in the race of life but we all have our lanes. I run in mine, and you run in yours. That is not to say that we are absolutely independent of one another because as social beings we are interdependent.

We can think of it in terms of the organs of the body – how interconnected they are yet specialized in function. The lungs and the heart are interconnected but the lungs cannot take the role of pumping blood neither can the heart assume the role of gaseous exchange. We have unique lanes to run.

Yes, others can inspire you and cheer you on but the lane remains yours. It’s either you run in it or it lies empty.

We also need to realize that this race of life is not a competition. In a competition, there’s always a standard- your opponent. You’re a winner as long as you do better than your opponent and when your opponent has the upper hand, you’re the loser.

However, in this race of life the standard isn’t any other but Christ. That means this race of life is ran not by looking to self or others but to Christ. When you are comparing and evaluating yourself with others, you aren’t running the race. You may be running a race but it’s surely not the race of life.

Is there anything the Lord has placed in your heart? Something that seems bigger than you? Well, that’s your race. Will you run it or will you let it pass?

Freedom

According to Oxford definitions, freedom is the quality or state of being free such as absence of coercion or constraint. In all spheres of life, there is this propensity within us that causes us to desire and pursue freedom. Historically, culturally, individually and institutionally, there are facts to prove this inherent nature within us. History presents its fair share of the cake with the advent of freedom fighters who, I must admit, fought for a noble cause.

We are in times where we are experiencing rapid changes in our culture owing to the quantum leap from supposed bondage and restrictions to freedom. Time and space may not permit me to elaborate on this point. Individually…when was the last time you moaned the statement “why can’t they just let me be…” or anything close to it?

With time, I’ve realized that when many think about freedom, they think of it as something activity related. To put it plain words, they confuse freedom with idleness. We mostly hear people say things like “when I’m free, I’ll pay you a visit” and so on.

However, I’m of the view that freedom is not that straight forward as we think it is. Freedom is not a function of activity but expressivity. I know this may sound like one of those popular quotes around but what matters is the meaning behind that statement.

Though I may not be able to fully develop the idea and reasoning behind that statement in today’s article, I hope to blaze the trails so you can reason your way through to discover what lies at its depths.

Initially, I cited the Oxford definition of freedom but let’s go over to the Restpiration Library to find out from our Rest books an alternative definition… Oh wait, I think I found something. There you go… Freedom is simply being true to your authentic self and having the luxury to express it without fear of contrary opinions.

Wow! This definition is so self -explanatory and direct. We need to understand that the cry of our hearts is for the expression of who we really are. However, this cry is manifested in the desire and pursuit of freedom, in hope that with the oppressors out of the way we may find our voice of expression.

With this understanding, it wouldn’t matter what our schedule looks like, we would place emphasis on expressivity and not our leisure hours.

I hold this belief that even during working hours, we can be free. Although we may not be able to do the ninety-nine other things we wish we could have done, giving vent to our individuality during working
hours will produce the same effect of adrenal rush as any other thing you’ll like to do with your “freedom”.

That said, it matters the kind of work or venture you engage in. I like the way Bernita A. Esposito, MA(Author of The Gifted Highly Sensitive Introvert) puts it when she said, “your work must be the very expression of your soul.”

What you say of me (A spontaneous poem inspired by the parable of the prodigal son)

In the dark dungeon of self- preoccupation
Presenting itself on every occasion
To rob me of the joy of living
Knowing that you made the ultimate giving
Brings the tumultuous ocean to a calming halt
O what a blessed thought

Before I could do right I was made righteous
Before I could whisper I was in fellowship
Before I could shout “HELP!” I was held
Before I could love I was love’s obsession
Before I could know… wisdom was with me
O what ill can filter through perfection

Standing in my king’s presence
Rays of peace garrison this heart
With each gaze comes a fresh beholding
Making this young heart glow
Can I help but bow in awe
To venerate my matchless king