When you give freely your strength and power is established in honor. Psalm 112:9 (Voice)
As a caregiver you are probably exhausted. It comes with the many responsibilities and never-ending list of things to do. What can you do to get through this difficult season? The answer might surprise you.
In this verse we find the paradox of the Gospel. Jesus tells His disciples that if they try to save their life they will lose it (Mathew 16:25). If on the other hand, they give of themselves they will gain so many rewards. This is upside-down and backwards. It goes contrary to what we want to do. You may think that the way to become strong is to be careful not to give too much of yourself. The approach is to be conservative with your energy. Hang on to what you have because there is a limited supply. It comes down to your attitude toward your caregiving responsibilities.
Resentment and anger deplete your energy supply. Negativity and complaining siphon off your stamina and vitality. How can you counteract the tendency to resent your responsibilities as a caregiver? Grab on to hope and choose to change your perspective about your role. Choose to give your gift freely. You alone can make that choice. Regardless of the reasons that you are in your current role you can choose every day to do it with love and joy (and even laughter).
Hope Tool
Replace complaints with gratitude
Make a list of complaints regarding your current situation. Don’t hold back on what you’re feeling. Let the feelings surface and be honest about your situation. We often try to hide what we’re feeling and that only makes it get worse. Next to each complaint write one thing for which you are grateful.
Example: I resent that I have so little time because of taking ________ to the doctor. I am grateful for the time we get to spend together to talk about what’s most important to us.
Prayer
Thank You, Lord, that when life is dark Your light shines into the darkness. I ask You to flood my heart with your mercy and compassion. I want to share freely, expecting nothing in return. I thank You that I do not not need to be afraid when the news is bad because I put my trust in You. I thank you that my heart can be confident and completely free from fear. I expect to see strength and power from You in the midst of these circumstances. Thank You that I can choose to give freely and be established in honor. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Author, speaker, corporate trainer, ordained minister and Hope Catalyst, Karen Sebastian enjoys sharing her rich life experiences with others – engaging them in adventurous discoveries of the beauty of hope in a dark, cloudy world. To increase hope and improve relationships with yourself and those that you love, sign up to receive Karen’s emails.
You may order Karen’s latest book, The Power of Hope in Mourning here.
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