Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Moving In Real Time vs. Pushing The Fast-Forward Button

I've talked before about living in a "Fast Food Society." In this day and age we want what we want and we want it now! Gone are the days where we patiently save 50 dollars a month until we're able to buy a new car or go on a family vacation. Now all we have to do is open up a new credit card and instantly we can have all that our heart desires. Ofter we deal with challenges and problems in our lives in the same fashion.

We all go through times when we just want the pain over. In fact, if we could press a fast-forward button and propel ourselves into the future and out of our current circumstances, we probably would. Whether the situation we are facing is minor, or major such as the loss of a loved one, it is human nature to want to move away from pain and find comfort as soon as possible. Yet we all know deep down that we need to work through these experiences in a conscious fashion rather than bury our heads in the sand, because these are the times when we access important information about ourselves and life. The learning process may not be easy, but it is full of lessons that bring us wisdom we would not be able to find any other way.

The desire to press fast-forward can lead to escapism and denial, both of which only prolong our difficulties and in some cases make them worse. The more direct, clear, and courageous we are in the face of whatever we are dealing with, the more quickly we will move through the situation. Understanding this, we may begin to realize that trying to find the fast-forward button is really more akin to pressing pause. When we truly grasp that the only way out of any situation in which we find ourselves is to go through it, we stop looking for ways to escape and we start paying close attention to what is happening. We realize that we are exactly where we need to be. We remember that we are in this situation in order to learn something we need to know, and we can alleviate some of our pain with the awareness that there is a purpose to our suffering.

When you feel the urge to press the fast-forward button, remember that you are not alone; we all instinctively avoid pain. But in doing so, we often prolong our pain and delay important learning. As you choose to move forward in real time, know that in the long run, this is the least painful way to go.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:49 PM

    If our lives were controlled by a remote control mine would be stuck on pause/freeze frame. I have been struggling with what feels like the same situations with different faces and scenery. I can't stand it anymore. Many a night I have gone to sleep with a bottle of pills in hand which I never put down while comtemplating suicide. I have been stuck in some kind of remedial class from hell because I keep getting held back. I think I learned the lesson now how do I get to the next level. I need help.

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  2. Anonymous5:37 PM

    If you had learned the lesson, you would be held back. Maybe you think you picked up what God's putting down but you haven't. And that is not a slight against you. You just have to learn the lesson. Have you ever just sat quietly and asked God, "Ok. What am I supposed to get from this?" And then patiently await His answer. HIS answer, not what you want to hear or what you think would be best. When the lesson is learned, then you will move on to the next challenge.

    Sucide is not the answer though. I think many people have been where you're at but ending your life isn't going to solve anything. Just take a deep breath and be still. God never gives more than we can handle and he certainly never leaves us alone to live with lifes tribulations. And if you need someone to talk to email me at NikkiWoods@aol.com.

    We can talk about it, cry about it and yell about it until we get to the point where we can laugh about it.

    God Bless.

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