… from Oswald Chambers, that is. I certainly have plenty to learn about rising and shining. Today we had lunch with friends at our pastor’s house, and we ladies had a discussion about early risers, night owls, is it inborn or trained into us, etc. All of us admitted to leaning toward one direction or another.
I was amused tonight to read this from Oswald Chambers. He first stated that living beings go through natural cycles of depression and happiness; it is only inanimate stuff that has no soaring and crashing of feelings. While we are in this world, there will always be things that are “of the nature of death” that tend to depress us. Things we won’t have in heaven, like huge piles of laundry and long to-do lists and bed sheets that got wet on and mud could come to mind. (My loose paraphrase. Chamber’s is much more eloquent… and wordy. š ) Then he goes on to show how God gave so many simple admonitions. Take Elijah, sitting under a tree, wishing he were dead due to his unpopularity with the current king and queen. God’s angel came to him and just told him, “Rise and eat.” No profound revelations just then. Only simple instructions.
“He tells us to do the most ordinary things conceivable. Depression is apt to turn us away from the ordinary commonplace things of God’s creation, but whenever God comes, the inspiration is to do the most natural simple things- the things we would never have imagined God was in, and as we do them we find He is there. The inspiration which comes to us in this way is an initiative against depression; we have to do the next thing and do it in the inspiration of God. .. Immediately we arise and obey, we enter on a higher plane of life.” My Utmost for His Highest, Feb. 17 Ā Ā Ā Ā (and yes, I am aware that I am a few days behind. Ā š )
Well, so there we have it… the way to soar tomorrow!
wocket in my pocket 
Thank-you for this! I need all the encouragement I can get to get moving in the mornings. I very much tend to be “An object at rest tends to remain at rest ” right now….
Oh dear, I am afraid I laughed. So understand the feeling! Not much longer. YAY.
I love this. I’m so glad that it’s only inanimate stuff that has no rising and crashing of feelings. š And having been depressed more than I care to talk about, I also know that just choosing to do the next thing (get up, make bed, eat some eggs) is sometimes the only thing that keeps you from falling into insanity. I’m so grateful that life holds much more joy in the living than it used to for me. Thanks for this.
Ah, yes! One of my favorite lines, borrowed from Elisabeth Elliot, is the simple, “Do the next thing.” I needed this reminder today. š