RESET: The Journey Back to Joy
Ever had to troubleshoot your computer, phone, or printer with tech support? They always advise a restart. Similarly, for us, hitting reset means unplugging from what drains us and reconnecting to the source of our original design.
As I prepared to start writing for this month's blog, I had a quick task in mind: printing a photo with my handy Kodak Smile printer/app. What should have taken just a couple of minutes turned into a thirty-minute ordeal. When my husband walked in, he found me fuming with frustration because my phone wouldn't cooperate with the Kodak Smile app to access my photos.
As he glanced over my shoulder, hearing me mutter words reserved for the most frustrating of moments, he asked, "Should I try with my phone?" It took another 5-10 minutes for him to download the app and log in, but his starting from scratch paid off as he effortlessly accessed his photos, and just like that, the picture printed without a hitch.
Meanwhile, I was anything but calm. "That ordeal exhausted me. How am I supposed to find inspiration for my blog about RESETTING now?" As I spoke, it became glaringly obvious where I should begin.
When anger and frustration overwhelm me, the direction I take hinges on my next steps. Do I continue to wade through the overwhelming and draining currents? Or do I search for a lifeboat where I can dry off and regain my composure, physically and emotionally? You, my readers, came to the rescue today.
This week, I've been reflecting on a prayer shared by a friend. The words surfaced just as I was open to resetting and refocusing my mind.
The Welcoming Prayer (by Father Thomas Keating)
Welcome, welcome, welcome. I welcome everything that comes to me today, because I know it's for my healing. I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions. I let go of my desire for power and control. I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval, and pleasure. I let go of my desire for survival and security. I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself. I open to the love and presence of God and God's action within. Amen.
There's no doubt in my mind that I sought to change my circumstances, wield control, and ensure my day went as planned. I didn't welcome the situation or the emotions that came with it. Instead, a part of me dominated and pursued my own agenda without God—essentially, pride.
Just this week, our pastor focused on pride and posed the question: what do fruits of our pride look like? Sometimes, identifying pride is challenging, but its fruits are a stark contrast to Father Thomas Keating’s words. I see MY plans, desires, and timetable. I experience frustration with myself, always striving for more.
Reflecting on the photo printing incident and the welcoming prayer, I uncovered an underlying sense of entitlement - and it is a joy stealer and an ugly reality. No amount of makeup can conceal that stain on the heart…thankfully Jesus made a way, and now there is even a reset button for that.
I had the opportunity to walk a labyrinth for the first time in my 50+ years, and it was truly a gift. If you’re unfamiliar with it, like I was, I learned that its purpose is not to reach a specific destination but to become completely present where you are. It serves as a powerful metaphor for life’s journey - toward and with God.1
In a way, my experience in the labyrinth symbolized my journey with Jesus: toward, away, aware, denying and turning back towards Him. In earlier years, these swings were wide and sweeping. Now, in all my humanness, the pendulum still swings, but with less broad and more delicate strokes.
As I stepped into the labyrinth, I had no idea what to expect and felt a bit naïve, much like we do in life. I was happy-go-lucky, as if walking with a cherished friend2 who appreciated everything about me, and I reciprocated those feelings.
However, as I walked further, I felt increasingly burdened with the fig leaves I acquired. And the challenges of life began to erode our friendship outside of my control.
I’ve often thought of fig leaves as symbols of the masks we use to hide ourselves. What I learned was that they were also hiding my friend. They had become a wall.
As I kept going, losing touch with Jesus meant losing touch with myself. My path became increasingly lonely, hollow, and dark. I wasn't being authentic in life; I knew the right words to say, but inside, I felt like an empty shell, numb and disconnected.
I reached a point in the labyrinth where I couldn’t move forward. I stopped completely, unsure of what to do next. Nearby, gentle wind chimes were softly chiming, and it became clear they were part of the metaphor. Just as the wind chimes drew me in, so was the Spirit calling me back to God.
But I was stuck, unable to remain the same or move forward. The deep desire to rekindle that relationship was so real that I started to see the value in abandoning the fig leaves (empty counterfeits). I had to make a choice. It didn’t have to happen all at once, but I needed to turn towards God.
It wasn’t easy. To turn, I had to let go of everything. Even though I realized the fig leaves were trivial compared to the relationship I wanted to restore, they were familiar and comfortable – two things that hinder us from making a change.
A long time ago, I learned a simple yet powerful prayer: “God, help me to become willing to become willing.” In this instance, it was about being willing to turn towards Him. But this prayer is effective for many situations. He faithfully answered that prayer.
Reflecting on my labyrinth experience, I was curious to see what God’s word says about turning back and resetting.
Psalm 51 illustrates the Lord resetting David’s heart and spirit after he admits to taking a wrong turn in his faith journey.
Hide your face from my sins ... create in me a pure heart, O God, … Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation (commentators noted this was primarily a physical rescue – restoring the joy of unconfined, unmarred connection) and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
I eventually resumed my labyrinth walk, taking slow steps and rediscovering the return of joy. This marked a significant reorientation for me. Gradually, I grew more convinced of God’s goodness and faithfulness in all areas of my journey. He was at work while I took a simple step forward.
As I continued walking, He brought to mind the people who had supported me along the way, and before I knew it, I found myself back in the present day. There were times I lost sight of Him, much like in everyday life. Yet, I always felt His invitation and the pull of that longing to walk with Him, just as it was His original intent in the garden.
The labyrinth experience taught me a profound lesson about God’s unwavering presence.
The center, a concrete representation of His faithful presence, was a steadfast anchor that never moved amidst all the twists and turns. It was a powerful reminder that He remained with me, even in the darkest nights while seeking elsewhere to fill my inner emptiness. He NEVER ceased to be my constant companion…and the same is true for you!
Our longings and the moments when they are satisfied keep us tethered to the hope of His coming, when our desires will be fully realized. Until then, whenever you find yourself connected to sources that drain you, pray for the willingness to return to a connection that brings life and joy.
Questions for reflection:
Where has entitlement crept into my attitude?
What masks or fig leaves am I holding onto?
Do I prefer their comfort and familiarity to an unknown freedom?
Is there an area in my life where I feel a pull, but the ways of the world are holding me captive?
Am I ready to pray for willingness to be willing?
If not now, when?
Breath Prayer:
Place your hands over your heart. As you inhale, lift your hands up and say, “More of you, God.” As you exhale, bring your hands back to your heart and say, “Less of me.” Repeat this 2-4 times.
Helping others along their journey is life-giving to me. Sometimes, God uses coaches as partners on this path. If you're interested in exploring what that could mean for you, feel free to email me at lisa@lisacrowdercoaching.com. If you feel drawn, I’ll be praying for you to find the willingness to begin.
Lastly, July marks my birthday month. I'm grateful for the opportunity to deepen my walk with God as I continue to write here every month. To celebrate, I'm introducing a "Buy me a Coffee" button on my blog. If you've enjoyed my content and found it valuable, it's a simple way to show your support and help me keep creating.
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Until next time,
Lisa
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If you have a friend that you think would appreciate these words, please consider sharing.
Here are a few other Hope*Writer friends with thoughts on “Resetting”
Feeling Stuck? Maybe It's Time For A Reset by Sharla Hallett
https://sharlahallett.com/feeling-stuck-maybe-its-time-for-a-reset/
Simple Is Better: I Will Give You Rest by Dianne Vielhuber
https://simplewordsoffaith.com/2024/07/01/simple-is-better-i-will-give-you-rest/
Reset Your Brain by Ashley Olivine
https://ashleyolivine.com/reset-your-brain/
Julie Honeycutt, Parts & Prayer Retreat Facilitator
Jesus, part of the Trinity (Father, Son & Holy Spirit)
We recently got away for a trip to Alaska with family. That helped me reset, but there's always a time of turning off the device and waiting before hitting the restart button again. I appreciated this article and I loved the prayer by the Father...thanks for this encouragement, Lisa.
Thankful for grace, even though He’s given a little insight I still reach for them in my wardrobe at times.