Don't D.R.A.G. me down........

Wow, It is 2011... It all goes by so fast these days. Is it because I am getting older and have much more on my mind? After sitting in this mornings church service, I believe it is due to the mind-boggling issues that seem to clutter our minds. Our pastor encouraged us to "give up" the things that we dealt with in 2010 (things that brought us down and kept us from growing spiritually), and start fresh in 2011. We were told to write down the things that really shouldn't be "ours" to deal with, but "His" (meaning God's). God alone is the only one we should be counting on. So many times we look elsewhere for love, strength, help with financial issues, or just the need to feel important. We are all important to God, and He will provide for all of these needs.

As I sat there, I asked God to help me realize the things I was trying to control instead of giving it to Him. By the end of the service, I had 4 words on my card that D.R.A.G. me down and hinder me from fully experiencing the feeling of grace, from Gods love.

DEPRESSION

The last few years have left me with experiences that leave me feeling depressed. These different experiences are beyond my control and leave me feeling very unhappy. The unhappiness has led me to a much deeper place of depression. Depression is a very debilitating feeling. It leaves you in a mindset that nothing you do is good enough, so might as well do nothing. Not a good feeling to have. Especially for someone who spent the majority of her life smiling and trying to cheer others up when they were sad.

REGRETS

Having regrets is probably something most people deal with. No one can see the future, and there are times when we are put into a situation that gives us choices. Sometimes the right choice isn't always evident, and sometimes it is. However, we still make the wrong choices part of the time. This leaves us with the questions that haunt us...mainly, the "what ifs". I want to enter 2011, knowing that there is nothing I can do about the choices in the past, but I can go forward...I can't reverse what has already been done in the past, but I can seek the right answers faithfully for the future.

ANXIETY

Worry is a sign of not having faith. And though I have always known this, I still tend to worry sometimes. It is a human nature. Anxiety has left me in panic at times. This also is a very debilitating feeling. Almost an attack, leaving me breathless. It stems from my worries and fears...mainly for my kids, or what the future holds for us. I want to have the faith that no matter what we are faced with, that God is in control of it. And He will guide me to the right decisions.

GUILT

I am not perfect. I don't always have the right answers, make the right choices, or know how to make it all better. I am left with feelings of guilt sometimes that make me wonder what I "should" have done versus what I "did". And this can lead back to those feelings of regret. It all goes hand in hand when we don't rely on God to see us through. And of that I am guilty. I want to rely on Him.

These four things I give to God. I want to enter 2011 with the heartfelt feeling that God has my back. He has my best interest in mind. And because of this, there is no need to let these things D.R.A.G. me down.

Starting this new year, do you have anything that needs to be given over to God?