Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
June 19, 2023
This Week's Anchor
“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:34
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I don’t know about you, but I’ve quickly found myself in a season of exhaustion once again. It’s as if I looked up and out of nowhere the humbling stillness that came along with navigating the pandemic seemed to sneakily evade me.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve quickly found myself in a season of exhaustion once again. It’s as if I looked up and out of nowhere the humbling stillness that came along with navigating the pandemic seemed to sneakily evade me. My once-open schedule is now filled with multiple events scattered across the week AND weekend, and I am quickly feeling as though my introverted social stamina cannot keep up. In addition to the social demand, this other side of the pandemic has also brought about the urgency to care for myself, others, the world, and everything in between. Acknowledging the mindful generation that I come from, it’s not surprising that self-improvement and growth are a priority. However, to be transparent, with the world reopening and life returning to full speed, I feel completely drained trying to balance it all.
Things hit me hard the other day as I considered all the areas of my life that needed tending. I became overwhelmed as I felt pulled to consistently care for my mind-body-spirit, and also do good work as a psychologist and career woman, and be supportive as a wife, and be present as a mother, and stay connected to friends and family near and far, and be engaged in ministry and my church community, and be financially responsible but also live my life and plan fun and exciting things, and also slow down and take time to myself but not to the point of isolation, and care about the world, advocate for meaningful causes and challenge systems, while also preserving myself and not getting lost in the sauce…and…and…and…As I thought about all the things, feeling overwhelmed evolved into feeling discouraged, and as my flesh began to embarrassingly enter somewhat of a pity party, the same voice I mentioned in last week’s devotion rose within me, whispering, “One moment at a time, Dericka.” Convicted, I was as I took a deep breath and a mental step back, realizing I had jumped on the worry wheel and that it was time to get off.
I don’t know what triggered the spiral, but I’m certain about Who stopped it. In a moment when I needed it most, God provided a gentle reminder that while it’s audacious of me to care so deeply about every aspect of my life, I simply can’t balance it all alone and can’t do it all at once. Our anchor scripture this week echoes this truth for all of us. Many of us know it well as it redirects us away from the stronghold of worry and inspires us to refocus our attention on the present day which holds enough concerns of its own. The Message translation breaks it down more specifically stating:
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with
whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matthew 6:34, MSG)
What wisdom this scripture provides! When God spoke to me the other day, this is exactly what I heard. As I reflect on my worry experience and this scripture, a few meaningful things resonate that are worth sharing as encouragement for you:
We can catch ourselves as we spiral (and eventually prevent ourselves from spiraling)—Believe it or not, although we cannot control what we initially think and how we initially feel (i.e., what raw emotions/thoughts arise in us) we do have the ability to shift how we think and feel. As a psychotherapist, I sometimes use the metaphor of a subway train—the train being your thoughts/emotions; the station being your mind-body-soul; and you as the passenger. Using this imagery, we can’t necessarily control what train comes into the station, but we can be intentional about what trains we board or remain on. When we feel ourselves being rushed by our emotions, thoughts, or a general sense of despair, we can pause, breathe, and pivot.
Life and all that it brings comes to us fast. It can, understandably, overwhelm us; nevertheless, we can slow things down and remind ourselves to take things one moment at a time. The present moment is the only moment we have true agency in. So, when we feel overwhelmed with our to-do lists or the long line of folks needing our attention and support, we can focus on the here and now (i.e., what you/God are currently doing that needs your attention and how you can bring yourself back to it, what you want to prioritize/what God is calling you to right now and how you can put your energy into this). In the practice of mindfulness, a way to bring yourself back to the present moment is by focusing and refocusing your attention on your breathing [Click Here for a resource on connecting to the present moment via breathing exercises]
We aren’t alone in any given moment—God is present with us, even in our waves of worry, trenches of trauma, and gridlocks of grief. He was with us before. He is with us now. And He will be with us evermore. Not only can we slow things down and take them one at a time, but we can choose moments with God to help us when we are in despair. As the old church hymn sings, we can “Have a little talk with Jesus, tell Him all about our troubles, He will hear our faintest cry, and He will answer by and by, now when you feel a little prayer wheel turning, and you know a little fire is burning, you will find a little talk with Jesus makes it right.” Just one moment with the Holy Trinity can shift our entire world. God’s simple words encouraging me to take things one moment at a time completely changed my disposition. I transitioned from being discouraged to being empowered with just one moment with Him. The best news is, we don’t have to wait for God to show up unexpectedly like He did for me, we can also invite Him into moments in our lives through prayer/conversation, song, devotion, and fellowship.
As we enter another week of being pulled in every direction and flooded with emails, calls, and concerns, may we be inspired to slow down and connect with God’s perfect right now. May we have compassion, grace, and patience with ourselves, addressing our concerns and demands one at a time. And may we rest assured that God is with us in every circumstance, having faith that just one moment with God will shift our situation and make the journey worthwhile.
Reflection
What resonates for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity to help you you take things one moment at a time?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Psalm 68:19
Proverbs 3:5-6
Lamentations 3:21-26
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Hebrews 13:8
1 Peter 5:6-7
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the
only one you know you have for sure.”
Oprah Winfrey
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