Beauty in Waiting...

There may be something to this whole "don't worry" thing…

Because it seems lately all the things I concern myself a little too much about turn out non-eventful, or even positively. 

And the things I think I'm ready for? Stressing about whether or not I am ready and whether or not life circumstances should take place in my life…all that does is cause stress. Concerning myself about any event in particular does not actually effect the outcome of that effect! Why haven't I been able to grasp this?

That's my thorn, my stumbling block…worrying.

It used to be the sleep-stealing, joy-robbing, food-is-my-only-comfort, acne-inducing part of my life I just accepted.  Since giving my life to God and asking Him to use it as He sees fit, I still worry, I still stress, I still let my joy get temporarily borrowed from me, but I am a little more aware of the light at the end of the tunnel now. I can get out of my patterns of stress and reverse the downward spiral before it gets too far. And when I can't, He usually puts someone in front of me that yanks me out, even if I go kicking and screaming…or most recently, crying and weeping. But I come out, and thats the important thing. 

Here's something that was joyful for me, a real-life example God decided to show me of waiting and not stressing. I love when He does stuff like that…when I'm feeling extra stressed I usually hate it because something about wallowing in my grief and worry can be comforting in a sick way and I don't want to leave what is familiar to me; but He patiently waits for me to see. And this is what I saw…

A bush, right? Some kind of weed maybe? Well, lets look under the leaves...

There they are...beautiful, ripe strawberries. 

Its deceiving, the large green leaves that don't look enticing. But then when you take a closer look, you see something worth your while. Worth bending down and picking. Nothing in the supermarket compares to these. And want to know the kicker? YOU CAN'T PICK THEM UNTIL THEY'RE READY. Me standing over them stressing about if they're ready won't make them grow faster. It won't deepen the red color, it won't make the sun extra strong and jump start photosynthesis, providing these plants with extra energy to create these wonderful treats. It will do nothing. They will ripen when they ripen. Their time will come when their time comes. 

And when their time comes, it doesn't seem to stop. You could probably pick twice a day during the peak of the season. And the trick is to enjoy it as it comes and while it lasts, not worrying about its ending, not worrying about its abundance or lack there of. Not worrying. Not concerning myself with the ones that aren't ready yet. Because guess what? When they're ready to be picked, I'll know. And until then, they'll just keep growing until they're ready. Its like God's trying to tell me something....

Ever eaten a strawberry thats not ripe? If you have, you'll make sure it never happens again. They're best tasting when they are perfectly ripe.  

Why do I try to rush my life? Why do I worry over things that haven't happened yet, when there's a reason they haven't happened yet...I'm not ready. And when I am ready?

There will be results. And they will be bountiful.

Beauty...its in the waiting...