The Cascade Effect
DO YOU KNOW WHAT CASCADE MEANS? If you have a few minutes, allow me to share a short definition and personal story with you. As you and I pursue our God-given dreams and purpose, we need to be aware of the pitfalls that stand to derail us so that they can either be avoided or overcome.
THE DEFINITION
Cas-cade: (noun) It is a chemical or physiological process that occurs in successive stages, each of which is dependent on the preceding one, and often producing a cumulative effect.
To put it simply: it is a sequence of consecutive actions which add up over time. You can think of it as an avalanche, which begins with only a handful of snow, but grows over time and becomes an overwhelming force!
THE STORY
For the past few weeks, I had beed growing increasingly tired - physically, mentally and spiritually. Work and ministry weighed heavily on me. I found myself not being able to get enough sleep. Physically, I was becoming exhausted, but mentally and spiritually I was still at a high point.
A few days went by and I began to notice that I was slowly becoming mentally exhausted. My thoughts were moving at a slower pace as it became increasingly difficult to concentrate. I did, however, have spurts of energy when doing something new and exciting, but overall I had become both physically and mentally worn out.
Then a few more days went by and I began to notice the subtle slipping of my spiritual self. Inwardly, I was becoming restless and when I read God’s Word, it felt like nothing was penetrating my heart and mind. I was so tired and busy that my prayer time steadily declined (when I did pray it felt as if my prayers weren’t getting through). It was all I could do to force out a “Lord… help me…” I could draw no power as I continually felt as if I was sinking into the darkness of depression.
Then came the assault as a myriad of thoughts - contrary to my God-given calling and identity - began to clamp down on my mind. I began to inwardly question my existence and felt as if I wanted to crawl under a rock and die.
I was spent: emotionally, mentally and physically drained. I felt there was no one who I could talk with about this. Everyone I knew had their own issues and I didn’t want them having to deal with my problem on top of their own. But how did I get like this? By now I had noticed the pattern… the cascading effect building.
Then on Monday night (10/1/), I had to go to church for a meeting. I really didn’t want to be there and was just going through the motions. Honestly, I wanted to cry out and leave, but I pressed through the meeting. Afterward I was talking with a sister in Christ and she asked me how I was doing and I mentioned feeling exhausted. She was concerned. A few minutes later I was talking with a brother in the LORD and felt led to pray for him.
I thought about my own problems and didn’t FEEL LIKE praying for him… yet, I had learned this lesson already - “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
It is often when we expend ourselves for the cause of God in the lives of others that we receive from God what we ourselves need.
And so I prayed for my brother (putting my issues aside) and it was in that moment of praying for him… that the LORD brought my breakthrough. When the prayer was over, my entire being felt energized! Physically, mentally and spiritually I felt alive! I stood amazed and joyful. God had intervened in a desperate situation, providing a jump start and a reminder to make sure I TAKE TIME to take care of myself.
THE CONCLUSION
Why do I share this personal story with you? Because as I stated in the beginning, we need to be watchful for the pitfalls that seek to derail us as we walk towards the destiny that is waiting for us. We are whole individuals (spirit, soul, body) although we are often too busy in our technological and stress-filled lifestyles to live out this Reality.
In the natural, when our body becomes overly tired, our Immune System weaken and we become susceptible to bacteria and viruses in our environment. So too, when we become mentally tired, our Spiritual Immune system is weakened and we become susceptible to the attacks of the invisible enemy around us.
It is a cascading effect that has a cumulative consequence.
So as we pursue our God-given destiny, let us remember that everything within us is CONNECTED and MAKE TIME to take care of our body, our mind and our spirit. Let us live in the Reality of being whole individuals and we will be in a better position to achieve the purpose for which we were created.
God bless and feel free to share your feedback.
-Allen Paul Weaver III-
Filed under: Self-Help • Spirituality
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3 comments
Hallelujah, I Found You!
I can certainly identify with those same sentiments, as I periodically ask why life never seems to slow down enough for my loved-ones and me to enjoy it. Even as I rush to write this hurried response, amid student papers that need to be graded, a lesson plan to be written, and a checkbook that needs to be balanced all before leaving to pick-up my son from school in an hour, I think about my week and how easy it is to fall prey to attacks.
Although last week went well in terms of accomplishing my responsibilities and personal goals, I faced the onset of this week as an insurrmountable work-week with far too much to achieve. I began to wonder if I had too much on my plate (though, up until that point I felt God had placed all of these responsibilities before me and had given me the grace to achieve them). Monday I found myself stressed because of what needed to be done. Tuesday I had a migrane headache, which lasted for 5 hours and resulted in an early night for me and lack of time to get things done for the next day. By Wednesday, I was feeling both stressed and a sense of inadequacy. And as I drove down the highway, headed to yet another commitment 2 hours from home, I realized that God had given me much responsibility and therefore much was required of me. And in the process, He has spoken His favor over my life, to let me know that He will enable me to fulfill what He has asked me to do. And periodically, things happen to thwart those plans. Sometimes the enemy sets pitfalls to slow me down or discourage me. And other times, I hinder myself from getting to where God wants me to go. And when the initial mental barrier didn’t work on Monday, there was a physical barrier on Tuesday. And when that dissipated, there was an emotional baracade on Wednesday. And now on Thursday, I began this day with intentionality. I am determined to be content in whatever state I am and not to allow my mind, body, or emotions to dictate my state, but rather to seek God for spiritual realignment.
The Lord allowed me to be awakened by my son this morning, as he declared, “Hallelujah, I found you, Mommy!” And here I had been away from my son for only a few hours yesterday during the day and evening, returning home after he was in bed. I saw the simplicity in how we can rejoice when we realize that we have found God. We can rest assured that He is always there, we need only seek Him and rejoice in His presence.
Thank you so much Tosha. You have stated, in such an eloquent way, a number of truths that we, as busy people, need to take to heart: being content, perceiving the simplicity which lies before us everyday, being intentional about our responsibilities, being grateful…
You also stated something which jumped off the page. Sometimes we live as if there\’s not a real, dark presence which seeks our destruction. Still at other times, we can be our own worst enemy. I\’m saddened when I think about the times I hindered my own advancement in God\’s plan for my life.
Thank you for taking the time to respond and give us food which has the potential to shed light towards our transformation into persons who live fully in God\’s purpose for our lives.
Allen,
I am dealing with much of this myself right now. I\’ve taken on too much. Thank you for your words of wisdom…and mainly, just for sharing your heart.