Recently, I couldn’t close my own sock drawer after diving in there for a sock. It was then that I reflected on the days when I used to pair my socks together. I coupled up sock brothers for decades, just as my mother did. One sock’s opening was folded over by the opening of its brother. They stayed together this way. When my right leg was removed, this was no longer necessary.
Or so I thought. Now my sock drawer has descended into complete chaos. Monumental mayhem. As I ventured into this anarchy the other day, it dawned on me that this is how my life feels. So let’s go with this muddled metaphor for a minute. Let each sock represent a piece of my life, and let’s see how you can relate. I will pick one sock at a time, in no particular order (because there is no order in chaos).
Let one represent housework. Another can be Rejoicing Bones blogging, one is YouTube creation, and another is the podcast (this is the short sport sock). One is the charity work I’m doing. Oops – here’s a Christmas sock – let this one be the game I play on my iPad – too often. Another is pain. If this had a brother, it would be pain management. A few of these can be family. One is paying bills. I’ve also got one that represents something like property management.
But wait – what’s this I see as I dig my way to the bottom? (I know I’m not the only one that stores miscellaneous objects in my sock drawer, am I)? What do we have here? A beautiful stone that means a lot to my wife, Kathy, and me. It has one word written on it: Peace.
Maybe it’s time to pair my socks up again. It seems to be tidier. It feels more organized and space-efficient. My drawer sure could use this. So could my life. So could my brain. And so could yours.
Let me encourage you to check your own sock drawer. Is it in dastardly disarray? Does your life feel the same? If so, then I suspect you don’t have peace. I can’t suggest how to empty your life of things that consume your mind. I can’t guide you to unto organization. Not now anyway. But I can suggest that you prioritize what you think about and how much time is devoted to which thoughts. Think of God, being with Him and pray. Ask for the Holy Spirit to bring out the fruit of love, joy, peace…Paul said in Romans 8:6 that “…the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
In short, flooding our minds on stuff to do can overwhelm us and distract us from the presence of the Father. Let stuff become small and God be big. Stop trying to think about, and do, everything all at once. Think of one thing at a time. Be still. I had a friend who reminds me that we are called human beings, not human doings.
Let me leave you with these scriptures to meditate on:
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2)
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18)
Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Rejoicing Bones 