Are You Keeping It Simple?

“The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” Proverbs 19:23 

  

  There is a principle sometimes mentioned among those involved in technology. It is called “The KISS Principle”. KISS stands for “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” That may sound insulting, but the principle is sound. Keeping things simple, avoiding the addition of needlessly complicated layers to operating systems and products, this often makes for better technology. However, complicating such systems can add vulnerability and weakness and points of failure into the products and systems. 

  I am a firm believer in “The KISS Principle.” Yet, I think it applies in many more areas than just technology. Anyone with afflictions who needlessly adds complications into their lives should practice The KISS Principle instead. 

  You must count the cost. There is much wisdom in the following verse: 

  

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28) 

  

  Too often those with afflictions do not count the cost of their plans and promises. We should be optimistic, but also realistic. 

  At times I have a better day or two regarding my afflictions and can lose sight of how quickly my condition could change. I can set my sights on doing things that I could accomplish on my better days, but that are beyond my reach on more challenging days. 

  There are times we needlessly add difficulties. There are situations and things we could easily do without. Certain activities and tasks we should avoid so our lives would be less complicated.  

  We need to count the cost, and ask ourselves if we are following “The KISS Principle” or adding needless layers of complications into our lives. Keep it simple and by doing so you will lower your stress and save your health. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to keep our lives simple and uncomplicated so that we can focus on the truly important things in life. Amen. 

Mountains Of Needless Worry

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23 

  

  Over 90% of the things I have worried over in my life either took care of themselves or needed very little effort on my part. They required no worry to get taken care of. Yet I continue to worry despite years of experience teaching me how useless worry is in the big picture of my life. 

  Then there are times when I create worry through bad decisions, thoughtless actions, and habits that bring on worry that I do not need.  

  For the latter issues I need more self-control and better discipline. For the former problems I need faith and to allow God to be God. 

  Perhaps you are in a similar boat, finding worry has become a dreadful habit that you struggle to overcome. 

  Jesus does not want us to worry, and gave specific attention to the issue in His teachings: 

  

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 

  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 

  

  Those words convict me every time I read them. Even as a child I seemed a “natural born worrier”. My mom constantly commented about my worrying. It drove me crazy that often she had not a care in the world while worry lines crossed my young furrowed brow. 

  Worrying is a terrible habit that many of us struggle with. Let’s write the words of the Lord upon our hearts and minds and leave worry far behind us. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, we worry day and night, agonizing over problems that are better left in Your capable hands. Forgive us, and help us to break the worry habit. Amen. 

Do You Wait To Live?

“My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.” Psalm 31:10 

  

  I find myself guilty lately of “waiting to live.” Certain times of the year are worse for me, and other times are generally better, and I often get into a habit of thinking, in another two weeks I will feel better or surely in another month I will be able to do more. I suspect you may do the same on occasion. 

  The problem comes from those better days not arriving. A month later I find myself feeling just as lousy as the previous month. There is nothing wrong with being optimistic and having “great expectations,” but we can set ourselves up for discouragement when the “better time” has not arrived when expected. 

  The real challenge is living in the here and now when things are rather lousy. 

  Many of us have a variety of health issues to juggle. We may improve slightly in one area, only to be knocked down in another area. We may also find ourselves weighed down by a bad flare up of one symptom or one aspect of our disease that is enough to bring down our overall health situation. 

  We can get so focused on the “better times ahead” that we stop living, stop planning, and even stop trying to find meaningful ways to live today. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to look back at wasted days that were spent in mere expectation of the times ahead. We may not be able to do much on the very difficult, the very hard and challenging days of our illness, but we should focus on what we can do today, and not waste it merely hoping for a better day tomorrow. 

  Hope is a good thing, as is optimism, we will need these in our life, but let us not spend too much time merely being hopeful about tomorrow. Let us be as productive as we can be today. Whether it is praying for someone, offering kindness, an encouraging phone call, anything within our ability to do today. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to be optimistic about tomorrow, but let us never waste today being merely optimistic about tomorrow. Amen. 

The X Factor Of Illness

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 

  

  The “X factor” is defined as a variable in a situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome. (Dictionary.com) 

  I have been thinking about the X factor lately. I see it as the thing that takes all my well laid plans and tosses them into the dirt. The X factor shows up at my door too often, wrecking plans, postponing events, doing everything it can to sideline me. 

  The unforeseen event, the flare up, the worsening condition, the stressful situation coming out of the blue–these challenges have the power to change our plans and prevent our wishes from coming true. Maybe you have a trip planned, perhaps a vacation, maybe there is an event you have planned out for months, but then the X factor arrives and everything goes out the window. 

  We all have such disappointing times. They leave us disheartened and discouraged, angry, and disappointed. And it is often hard to get back up, to make additional plans for the future, to overcome the discouragement over our disabilities and illnesses. 

  How can we defeat the discouragement that comes from the X factor? Understand the X factor is there, it exists, and it could show up at any time. We must remind ourselves that because of chronic illness and afflictions we have a much greater likelihood of being visited by this unwelcome X factor. 

  We can steady our minds and emotions by understanding the reality of ongoing difficulties, and yet keep hope alive by continuing to make plans in spite of the chance of the X factor. We may not always get our desired outcome, but with the Lord’s help we will not be overthrown by unforeseen circumstances. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, help us through the disappointments that come into our lives. Help us to get back up, and hope again, when disappointment strikes. Amen.