Relax, former procrastinators! We walk out our daily lives on the foundation of His love and eternal life in Christ. If we tie ourselves up in knots, we choke our new creation.
The history of the word “relax” gives great word pictures that can help us get the idea of what it means to not be so tightly wound. “To make something less compact or dense… To set free, soften, reduce… Loosen, open, stretch out.”
Picture loosening then untangling the knots of a necklace. Do your shoulders need to loosen? Does your schedule need to be less dense? How can you stretch out or eliminate some of the things you’re doing? Is a frown your “normal” face? Can you soften your expression with frequent smiles – and set others free from a sense of your disapproval? Can you factor in margin so your day is not so tight?
Sometimes I’m not aware of being tense. Yet I’m worried I’ll be late, or I’m ill at ease because I’ve put things off. If I notice, pause, and deliberately loosen my body, my perspective becomes more positive and I think more clearly. “Puff up” my tummy, wiggle my shoulders, and lift my sternum. Touch my toes, do jumping jacks, go for a walk.
Jesus is once and constant. We can relax.
Experiment. What “wiggles” help you relax? This week, try them out several times a day.
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