Learning to Listen

Nathan Piersma's Recipe for Stress Relief

1. Find a three hour break in classes.

2. Turn on laptop and start The Empire Strikes Back.

3. Add cocoa powder, hot water, and mug.

4. Mix contents with Batman: Arkham Asylum and The Lord of the Rings: War in the North. Stir until a proper blend is achieved.

5. Add a dash of clever banter with your suitemate.

6. Serve with naps and enjoy.

I've been in need of a day like this. Despite the fact that the actual time I spend in class each day is less than high school, I find myself doing a lot more homework. Example: last night I wrote four separate English papers. It took me hours, and I was up until 2:00 AM. As a person who values rest, I can't maintain this kind of lifestyle for very long. Even on days when I hang out with my friends, the fact that I've spent hours on homework in order to do so leaves me stressed despite the comfort I find in their company.

I've decided that I need to tone back my life. I'm so worried about not missing out on anything that I'm spreading myself thin. This realization has led me to refrain from trying out for Outcry. I am content to lead chapels and plan Outcry services, but the idea of making yet another commitment when I'm struggling with my current responsibilities is terrifying.

Honestly, it hurts to give this up. It hurts a LOT. One of the reasons I was so excited about going to Trinity was being a part of Outcry. But as much as it hurts to miss out on it this year, I can feel God telling me that I'm giving too much. I'm spreading myself so thin that I can't focus on any one thing. My involvement is surface-level. I'm thinking about the actions of my activities more than what God is trying to say through them. This new semester is a chance for me to slow down and listen to God's voice. As an undecided English major with no career plans, I need this year to find a baseline for what God is leading me to. I can't wait for next year to lose this stress and become a part of the Outcry team, but until then I will learn to be content in what God has given me here and now.

Now it's time for me to slow down and listen quietly for God's voice. I'm going to put aside the pain and see what it is God's trying to tell me. It's hard to let God do His thing when what He does isn't what I want, but this isn't the first time He's done this, and the choices He makes are the best of my life.

So I guess I can add one more step to my recipe:

7. Let go of your fears and stresses, throw away your plans, and let God take the reins.

Song for today: Steady My Heart by Kari Jobe. A great song that reflects the fear and pain of letting go, but also the joy and peace that comes with trusting God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0ip40j82ws

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.