Life is like...rocking a fussy baby to sleep

As is true with certain moments in our lives, when a baby is fussy she wants to be somewhere other than her current position or place, somewhere other than in the arms of her parent. Although she is in the safe and potentially comfortable place of her parent’s arms, due to her emotional distress, she lacks the clarity that would allow her to see the undeniable result of falling asleep, whether she resists or relaxes. She can choose to fall asleep in comfort or she can choose to resist it – kicking, screaming and squirming, until she falls asleep or escapes from the comfort that could exist if she were to accept the moment and be at ease.

This concept can be applied to countless circumstances throughout our lives. For example, when working on a homework project, a student may be exhausted and uncomfortable, emotionally and physically drained from his efforts of the day. The thought of completing the project induces a state of emotional distress. In comparison to the tired baby, the end result is that the project will be completed just as the end result for the baby is that she will fall asleep. The student can choose to stress about completing the assignment and although he may not physically kick or scream, he experiences internal turmoil symbolic of the baby’s physical expressions. This turmoil inhibits his ability to comfortably complete the assignment just as the kicking and screaming inhibits the baby from falling asleep comfortably.

The student can alternatively choose to accept the moment, see with clarity that the assignment will ultimately be completed, and relax. If struggling with the assignment, the student can utilize his teacher as a resource to help him comfortably complete the assignment just as the child can utilize her parent as a resource to comfortably rock her to sleep. When the student elects not to consult the teacher for guidance about the assignment, this is symbolic of the baby choosing not to consult her parent for the guidance exhibited through rocking her to sleep. Consequently, the turmoil intensifies. Yes, babies can fall asleep without being rocked, and yes, students can complete homework without consulting their teachers. However, moments exist when babies need to be rocked and students need to be guided, especially when they are exhausted and their clarity is clouded. These moments, if timely identified, can be tolerated with relative ease by avoiding turmoil when the end result is definite – the baby will fall asleep, the student will complete the assignment.

As spiritual beings, we are all students, and God is our teacher. We must be aware of His guidance to avoid resistance and turmoil that result from lack of clarity. We must listen to His word to ensure that we complete the homework that has been assigned to us. Applying His instruction will allow us to work on our assignment in the comfort of His arms, just as the baby can fall asleep in the comfort of her parent's arms if she is aware and accepting of the offered guidance and support.Accept your assignment.

Live, in comfort, the life that you were designed to live.