Am I Going to Be OK? Traffic

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4: 23

“A steady, continuous stream of something.” That’s basically what my friends Merriam and Webster say is the meaning of “to flow.” In the current context of being just a few days before the end of the semester, and less than 2 weeks before Christmas, when I think of “flowing,” I picture traffic. At this time of the year, traffic is everywhere, even in an otherwise sleepy college town like this one where I live. When traffic moves in a nice, constant and continuous stream, life is not too bad. Even though the streets are busier than usual, it all “flows” so nobody is too frustrated.

As soon as there is an interruption to the smooth flow of traffic, everything changes. Young people start revving their car engines. Not so young people’s faces distort in the rear-view mirrors. Some at the end of their ropes even blow their horns (this is kind of funny because if we were in Panama, the sound of loud horns is just the everyday background soundtrack…but around here, some people have never even heard the sound of their own car’s horn).

My point is, once traffic flow is interrupted by whatever, the flow of life is disrupted. All becomes out of balance. You see some cars on the other lane moving and think, “why are THEY moving and we’re still stuck in here?” You move two inches only to come to another halt and wonder what &%$#@(I try to bite my tongue here, but sometimes…yikes) is happening up there? You start looking at the clock. You fiddle through the car radio as if looking for someone to tell you what’s going on? You hyperventilate. You start reviewing all the things you are going to be late for. Your hands start sweating. Your jaw starts tightening. Your knuckles become white as you grip the steering wheel. (I know I’m saying “you,” but what I really mean is “me”)

Sigh…

It’s simple, when the flow is disrupted, life gets out of whack.

I think that’s what author Holley Gerth is telling us in chapter 4 of her book You’re Going to Be Okay. Guarding our hearts means, in a way, allowing the Holy Spirit to be Lord over our lives in a way that the flow is balanced, constant and uninterrupted. The first aspect of maintaining such a flow is to pay attention to our emotions.

Praying that the Holy Spirit gives us mastery over our emotions is the first step to gaining self-control. Rather than letting our emotions control us as they run wildly, stumping over everything they run into, we pray that the Holy Spirit gives us discernment and awareness, so we can react to circumstances with wisdom and kindness.

Sigh…

Please Lord, help us to guard our hearts in a way that the flow of our emotions is balanced and loving so we can express our feelings in a way that is not damaging to others or ourselves.

The next posts will deal with the advice author Holley Gerth gives us in order to take the necessary steps from our end to begin to restore the healthy flow in our hearts.