Training.

Are you weak? Weary? Confused? Troubled? Pressured?
How is your relationship with God? Is it held in its place of priority?
I believe the greater the pressure,
the greater your need for time alone with Him.
Kay Arthur

I was talking with a friend yesterday about how she was stressed and somehow when we are stressed we do the opposite thing of what we should do, which is draw near to God. Somehow it seems that what we need most is more time in the Word and more time talking with God, but instead we spend less time with our dearest Friend.


I was reminded of another thing I was told the day before that. When riding a horse (so I am told) the signals to go faster is to lean forward and squeeze tighter. To slow down lean back and relax. Now, when a horse starts going faster of its own accord, an untrained rider's first reaction is to grip on and lean over. I can fully understand that thought! But instead that is the opposite of what needs to happen. That will only make the horse go faster.


What hope is there, then? We need to train ourselved to react to trouble and stress in the right way. Just the same way a rider trains himself to respond to the horse and control the horse, we need to train ourselves to turn to God in stress. That means realizing where you are and choosing to make the right choice even when it doesn't come as your first response. The rider in training has to make a concious choice to not grip onto the horse in contrast to the rising panic that says "hold on!" Seek and find. Knock and it will be opened. Ask and it will be given. Train and receive.