Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life... he who feeds on this bread will live forever" (John 6:35 & 58)

Friday, June 29, 2012

Inactive Status

Wow... it's been almost a year since I posted something.  So much for consistency.  I could blame it on the fact that I went back to school recently, or my busy Mom schedule.  Those things do keep me chasing my tail most days, but the truth is I struggle with a condition that often renders me immobile.  I suffer from what is known as, "The Paralysis of Analysis."  There, I said it.  When faced with making a decision, I over-think my options, over-weigh possible outcomes, and over-worry about making the wrong move, so I do what all good Analysis Paralytics do: Nothing.

See, that was the main cause for my blog hiatus.  I was afraid I'd blog something wrong, (and by wrong I mean not worth reading.)  So, rather than take a risk by doing something (ANYTHING!) I ended up doing the only thing that really could be considered wrong: Nothing.  I don't remember when the desire to succeed metastasized into a paralyzing fear of failure.  Perhaps there was no single, isolated event.  Maybe it took place slowly, over time as I avoided little things that I might blunder.  Things like posting on a blog for example. 

Of course, like it or not, failure is a part of life and we can all learn from our mistakes.  God certainly encourages us not to give up or give in.  Proverbs 24:16 says "for though the righteous stumble seven times, they rise again..." (TNIV).  What about you?  What things are you avoiding, ignoring, or failing to pursue?  What are you over-thinking, over-weighing, or over-worrying about?  Obviously God isn't telling us to forgo critical thinking or thoughtful analysis, but maybe He is asking that we not stay there!