When stress begins to tug at me, I return to the day my husband came home for lunch and built a fire in the fireplace for me to enjoy while my young children, Monique and Geoffrey, napped.

As I sat there, God instructed me about my future. Little did I know what it would include. Less did I realize how often I would return to that afternoon, that fire, and that precious quiet time with God when He whispered to my heart, “I’m going to show you how to stay on fire without burning out.” Knowing my love of simplicity and my limited attention span, His lesson had three easy points.

Feed the flame. The love and energy I have for God, my family, and the people and activities He places in my life will grow if I keep the fire burning. Wood is necessary for a fire; proper diet, exercise, and rest for a body; and spiritual nutrition of God’s Word and prayer are needed for me to burn brightly for Him.

Remove the ashes. Just as ashes in a fireplace must be removed, I must release my grip on things that are over. Clinging to the past is draining and hinders the new things God wants to do. I must always move on with Him.

Stay within the boundaries. A fire in a fireplace is warm and inviting. The same fire, if placed on a coffee table, would be destructive, cause people to flee, and may even require professional help to extinguish. I must know and stay within my limits to maximize my life. I cannot change others or make their decisions. Managing myself is difficult enough!

I typically find peace when use these principles to filter life’s complexities.

Ronny Michel can be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.

 

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