It all started with two blue pills.
No, not that kind.
I’d been battling a cold for close to two weeks and just when I thought I might be getting better—bam!—things took a turn for the worse. I had a weekend long conference and needed to be able to focus without the nasty distraction of coughing, sniffing and sneezing. It was time to break out the hardcore cold medicine, though I’m generally a “get-through-it-on-my-own” kind of gal.
I pulled into the drugstore, bought the strongest thing available and popped two blue pills into my mouth. Minutes later I could sense the relief. Three hours later though, I felt the symptoms return.
The directions said the medication should be taken no more than four hours apart but given my real need for real relief, what harm could speeding up the process do? Honestly?
In no time I felt the soothing sensation of the drug kick in. Minutes after that, I noticed I felt relaxed. Really, really relaxed. As in “let me do a yoga pose right here in the hotel lobby” relaxed.
And I don’t do yoga.
Suddenly my eyelids grew heavy and my breathing slowed. Something was off.
I looked again at the little blue pills.
I’d taken the nighttime cold medicine. And doubled the dose an hour before I should have.
In my effort to perform at top form, I’d significantly reduced my effectiveness by doing something that was right for another time but wrong at this time…and doing it twice. What I thought would help me, hurt me.
Timing, indeed, is everything.
It took hours for the effects of my mistake to wear off. And isn’t that just the way it is when we do a good thing at a bad time?
King Solomon wrote,
“For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
If there’s a time for every activity, then why do we try to squeeze good things into the wrong time? Could it be that our thought process is not all that different from mine? What harm could taking on or taking in too much, too soon do, really?
[bctt tweet=” Sometimes we don’t understand the danger of too much too soon until it’s too late.” username=”donnajonesspeak”]Our culture tells women they can have it all, do it all, and be it all. Right now.
Underneath this message lies a subtle but seductive lie: If I do enough, I’ll be enough.
When we pattern our lives around the notion that more equals better we often find ourselves out of balance and as a result, out of sorts. Sometimes more does’t equal better; sometimes more just equals more. More stress. More discontent. More expectations. More mess.
Many of us try to do so many things right, we’re left with the sinking feeling that something is all wrong.
That’s because it is.
The feeling you get when you’re out of balance and out of sorts is an indicator. Listen to it. Allow yourself to slow down long enough to examine what you’ve been taking in or taking on that may be doing you more harm than good.
Seasons exist for a purpose. Not everything is supposed to happen all at once.
Seasons are important for our children, too. Some women give in to the world’s standard of parenting, allowing our kids to do too much, too soon. It’s a crazy maker for us and for them.
Something sacred happens when we savor the season we are in.
We enjoy enjoy life more. We prioritize the right things. We learn, we grow, we change, so when the next season comes–and it always does–we’ve soaked up every rich drop each season offers.
God has planted each of us in a particular season of life. It’s not the stage we were in yesterday; it’s not the stage we will be in tomorrow. It’s our season right now.
There’s a time for everything under heaven in its season.
Don’t double your dose before it’s time. Don’t allow your kids to double their dose, either.
Do the right thing
at the right time
and you’ll live life
the right way,
right now.
For further thought…
- Is there something you need to change to more fully embrace this season of your life?
- Is there anything you’ve carried over from your last season of life you need to release to be effective and fulfilled in your current season of life?
- Have you allowed your kids to do too much, too soon? If yes, how will you course correct?
PS. Did you know you can have Donna speak at your your next church event, conference or retreat? She was in Alabama two weeks ago, southern CA last week and will be near Washington DC soon. Why not have her come visit you? Click here for details.
