Are you extending grace
this season or still choosing
battles? Karlton shares.
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
I have learned over the years that I must guard my physical, mental, and emotional resources and use them carefully and wisely. My health issues do not leave me with any surpluses of energy, so I must be wise about how I expend my limited resources and abilities.
One of my favorite sayings is “pick your battles wisely.” And I have tried to live by that, especially since my health issues became life changing. I cannot afford to get involved in senseless debates or arguments, especially not with friends and family. If I stand my ground on an issue, I make very sure it is an issue that requires me to do so.
But beyond debates, arguments, and conflicts, illness forces me to carefully choose anything and everything that takes precious energy and strength away from me. There is no room for wasted effort, or useless application of my limited resources, and I am sure you can say the same thing.
In this life there is so little we have control over, especially when it comes to illness and disease, so when it comes to things we can control, where we can invoke our choices, we should do so wisely.
I would encourage you to take stock of your physical and mental resources, and to carefully consider where you want to expend your energy and abilities. There is so much in life we should avoid when it comes to the limited energy and resources we have. God helps us, giving strength and encouragement, yet He expects us to use good sense and not squander His help.
In life some choices are taken from you, yet there are other things you make choices about, and in those situations it is best to pick our battles wisely.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us not to be unwise, but to always choose our battles wisely. Amen.
About the Author:
Karlton Douglas lives in Ohio with his lovely wife. His goal in life is to always choose his battles wisely with the Lord’s help.
Are bad decisions robbing you of much needed energy? Why not think carefully about what you are involved in and then pick your battles?
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“…illness forces me to carefully choose anything and everything that takes precious energy and strength away from me.” I’m working on this, but it’s so hard, especially because I’m always worried about hurting people’s feelings. For example, a grand-daughter’s Christmas concert is coming up, and since I’m battling a persistent bronchitis and it’s so cold out, I think I’m going to have to tell her no. I always tell my grandkids that I’m always with them in my heart, but still I feel so bad I can’t go to more of their activities. But if I listen to my desires instead of my body, I always end up paying for it.
That is a very good point, Trudy. It is hard to disentangle the emotions from our decisions, and also hard to set aside expectations from others. But at times we have to be brutally honest with others and ourselves about what we can or can’t do. There are times I “push things” but then I plan for the crash that comes afterward, giving myself lots of downtime to recover. Sometimes it is hard to know when we can push things or not. A few times I realized only too late that I should not have done something.
Praying God gives you wisdom about what to do.
God Bless You.
Thank you, Karlton. Yes, it is hard to know sometimes when we can push things. Thanks for the prayer. God bless you, too.
Wise words Karlton! 🙂
Yes, every day is full of decisions about energy use. Praise God that He carries us through in those times when something is important to do, but no energy is available! God bless. Lotsoluv Kerryn
Thanks Kerryn 🙂
I was led here by the Lord today. Huge decision about my mother`s future, and I appreciate your words so much. I don`t have the strength to fight with siblings who won`t even spend 10 minutes with my mother and they are healthy, but I have had 2 heart attacks in 1 month and I am Mom`s 24-7 caregiver. I think the decisions need to be made by me. They will be hard enough to deal with, without sibling interference.
Praying that God gives you wisdom Sheila.