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There are 4 spaces in life, 3 we can do something about. We spend too much time and energy focusing on the one that we cannot and ought not try to manage.
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1. Space inside me. What is going on in me? How do I know when I am anxious? We all carry a bubbling collective of pressure, pain, assumptions, inner critic etc that can block our awareness of God and distort reality.
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2. Space between people. This can be space between me and you or space between others. Ever walked into a room with people and you felt off? You might be picking up the space between others.
Anxiety is contagious and often the most anxious person has the most power.
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Anxiety is contagious and often the most anxious person has the most power.
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3. Space between me and God. It is disturbing how often I forget God With Us.
Chronic anxiety seeps through us like that foam insulation. It finds the nooks and crannies and squeezes out our awareness of God.
But it can be quickly displaced with some tools.
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Chronic anxiety seeps through us like that foam insulation. It finds the nooks and crannies and squeezes out our awareness of God.
But it can be quickly displaced with some tools.
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4. The space inside them.
This is the space we spend too much time and energy worrying about. If you've ever thought, 'what were they thinking? Why did they do that, Why wouldn't they _____' you're fixated on the one space you cannot manage.
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This is the space we spend too much time and energy worrying about. If you've ever thought, 'what were they thinking? Why did they do that, Why wouldn't they _____' you're fixated on the one space you cannot manage.
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A guaranteed source of anxiety: when you fixate on space #4.
But Paul reminds us that one evidence of the Spirit's work in our life is SELF control. But we spend so much energy on THEM control.
That's a big fat nope.
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But Paul reminds us that one evidence of the Spirit's work in our life is SELF control. But we spend so much energy on THEM control.
That's a big fat nope.
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But the space between you and them? There is much you can do.
So often we blame, rather than looking at the dynamic between me and them. We tend to cast out our responsibility rather than ask the harder question, 'What am I doing that it making the dynamic worse?'
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So often we blame, rather than looking at the dynamic between me and them. We tend to cast out our responsibility rather than ask the harder question, 'What am I doing that it making the dynamic worse?'
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And the space inside me? That is the space where I begin. SO often I am operating under my own steam, white knuckling, applying 'try harder' and 'more of the same' to what isn't working.
Pause, breathe. Practice radical self kindness.
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Pause, breathe. Practice radical self kindness.
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Tell your Inner Critic to get as tape measure and check the length from east to west.
and most importantly, remember the God who is kind, loving, patient. Immanuel. Not just a Christmas God.
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and most importantly, remember the God who is kind, loving, patient. Immanuel. Not just a Christmas God.
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The 4 spaces. It has helped me clarify and focus.
2021 can be different than 2020, but only if you are different. 2020 didn't cause your soul condition, it exposed it.
You may need to dig deeper this year, but I assure you, God is waiting for you there.
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2021 can be different than 2020, but only if you are different. 2020 didn't cause your soul condition, it exposed it.
You may need to dig deeper this year, but I assure you, God is waiting for you there.
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