Shallow Breaths, Tense Muscles

I feel near the brink of a burnout today.

My breaths have become shallow and I can feel my major muscle groups tense and ache. I have been terribly busy this week. After work, I had to rush to our local church for our three-night activity. I have a handful of deadlines at work and a pinch of additional duties at church.

Needless to say, I have often felt stressed this week. My current tired feeling may be a result of the accumulated demands on my energies and frayed nerves.

I really need a break. The Sabbath is coming and I really pray for a restful day in church with my family. Additional tasks for church projects, however, sometimes rob me of the blessings of the Sabbath. I fear it would be less than a delight. I hope not.

Oh, how I long for a full-body massage or a dip in a cold pool of water! A warm hug will also do.

Not My Kind of Peace

I have been re-reading a book (The Great Controversy) that discusses in part the history of the early Christian church and the persecution that it has faced from the largely pagan world at that time.

I could not help agree with the author that the Christians' hard days (when they hid in catacombs and stood for their faith in the stake) were definitely better than their easy days (when they lived in peace but accepted doctrines compromised with heathen beliefs).

Quoting Ellen White's insightful interpretation of these events:

...the righteous are placed in the furnace of affliction, that they themselves
may be purified; that their example may convince others of the reality of
faith and godliness; and also that their consistent course may condemn the
ungodly and unbelieving. God permits the wicked to prosper and to reveal
their enmity against Him, that when they shall have filled up the measure of
their iniquity all may see His justice and mercy in their utter destruction.

The problem of living in harmony with the world, however, does not only concern the Christians at the time of the establishment of the Catholic Church. This alarming reality confronts us, modern-day believers, even more.

A century ago, the same author posed this question to her brothers and sisters in Christ--questions that remain relevant, nay, most relevant to our generation:

The apostle Paul declares, "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall
suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12. Why is it, then, that persecution seems
in a great degree to slumber? The only reason is that the church has
conformed to the world's standard and therefore awakens no opposition. The
religion which is current in our day is not of the pure and holy character
that marked the Christian faith in the days of Christ and His apostles. It
is only because of the spirit of compromise with sin, because the great
truths of the word of God are so indifferently regarded, because there is so
little vital godliness in the church, that Christianity is apparently so
popular with the world.

And, inspired by the One who sees beginning to end, she goes on to say: "Let there be revival of the faith and power of the early church. and the spirit of persecution will be revived, and the fires of persecution will be rekindled."

Another Milestone

I plan to blog again. Yes, I will never stop trying again and again and again to renew my commitment to things I believe are worth my time and energy.