5 ways to avoid emotional Jenga.
So at our house we’ve coined the phrase: Jenga in the Sink.
You know that pile up of dishes and cutlery that can happen… real time Jenga in less than 24 hours.
Breakfast done. Lunches made. Dishes in the sink. Rush out the house.
Snacks. Supper making and eating. Dishes in the sink. Out again.
Meeting in the evening. Home. Bed. [Dishes still in the sink.]
Depending on how many dishes you have or how many people use dishes when they walk around the house eating their snack [insert rolling of eyes here] the Jenga of dishes can get piled pretty high.
This is not a game with perfect, little, uniform rectangles of wood, but a sink with messy plates and mugs with sloppy stuff stuck on …
And you know how it goes, at some point or other someone wants that special dish on the bottom of the pile, and the impulse is to pull it out, while the other items slide a little further into the sink (crash!).
Hence the name: Jenga in the Sink!
Whether you live alone or have a few others sharing your space – it doesn’t matter, Jenga is no respecter of persons, it can appear in your sink too!
We’ve learned the lesson: never pull dishes out from the bottom – DISASTER!
Well, my sink reminds me a lot of my mind sometimes. Sometimes thoughts and issues can pile up, just like those dishes.
If I’m too busy for a while, and I don’t keep on top of the process of taking every thought captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), I can suddenly find myself reaching for a thought, at the bottom of the pile, so to speak.
Of course, you can hear this space opening up for some dialogue with Jesus… where I ask that normal question what are you saying to me through this situation in my sink Lord, that seems so much like what goes on in my brain?!
I recognize that when I pull that foundational negative thought out that’s raw and untouched, and when I dwell on it for a while … it’s like I’m reaching for that plate at the bottom of the pile … I create an implosion of sorts. My inner peace comes crashing down, and I’ve created emotional Jenga.
It’s not like I’m trying to ignore the stuff in life that needs to be dealt with. Honestly, sometimes life’s just so busy I don’t have enough down-time to process much. Or so it seems in that moment.
But here’s the thing.
God has made provision for our daily lives so that we can live in peace and live with Hope alive in our hearts and minds no matter the circumstances.
That doesn’t mean that we don’t have mind boggling stuff to deal with on a regular basis. It just means we have been given the tools to reach beyond where we are and what we’re going through at any given moment:
~I’ve experienced mind-numbing trauma as a child and found inner healing and peace in the Hope that flows from connecting with Jesus.
~Five years ago at age 40, in the middle of being diagnosed with a disease that proves fatal for so many Canadians a year, I found strength to go through the battle and am now well.
~There are relationships that offer little peace and have turned me into a resilient woman by the grace of God.
Is it possible to truly and honestly deal with what you’re thinking and feeling in life, move forward and not experience the Jenga fall-out in your mind?
In these moments I’ve asked God to speak to me and help me find ways to dismantle the implosion of thoughts, here are some things I have learned to do:
1.As I become aware of any thought I have that is negative, un-hopeful, tainted with anxiety, projecting despair, I talk to God about it. Sort of like the old hymn “What a Friend We Have In Jesus..” (It’s a great one!). Also, I take that scripture literally in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that says:
“We are destroying speculations/imaginations/obstacles and every lofty thing/ presumption that raises itself up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to become obedient to Christ.”
When the Jenga builds, I can do something other than let the blocks pile up.
2.When we talk to Jesus openly about our uncertainties, struggles and fears and we begin to listen to the kinds of thoughts He has, our perspective will change. Our foundation of inner strength becomes anchored in His truth and realities for us. 2Timothy 1:7 is a great place to start:
We have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power love and a sound mind. (KJV)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (NLT)
For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, and of love, and of wise discretion. (DBT)
He will help us reach into His deep treasure trove of resources by filling us with His power (abilities), His love (endless acceptance and Presence that sustains us, reminds us that we are valued and cherished) and wise-discretion, with a mind that thinks clearly … because His God-abilities are now flooding into us. Imagine!
3.God is Almighty, Sovereign, All-knowing… and has all the perspective and answers that any of us could ever dream of … and He is promising to share that with us … so that we can see things the way He does. That is a good strategy in setting this Jenga to rest!
Isaiah 55:9 Tells us that His thoughts and ways are higher, better, smarter than what we can come up with on our own … and the Apostle Paul asks “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him? But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)
So it’s pretty incredible that our unknowns are known by God and our stresses and concerns have already been sorted out by God. As it unfolds in real time, it does test our patience and our trust. But here’s the beautiful thing. We get to see the majesty of God unfold in our lives as we remind ourselves of the promises of God.
4. As we read, meditate and mull over/ dwell on God’s words to us (His promises to us in the bible) our minds become renewed. Our trust/ belief (faith) becomes stronger even just by listening to His Word (think: bible app or even reading aloud/ hearing your own mouth confess what God’s word says about your life), faith is evidenced by doing (James 2:17).
When I’m discovering negative Jenga in my sink, or in my jumble of thoughts I begin to see the value of not following the natural progression of angst-y, dystopian thoughts!
I think of what God said through Paul in Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
And the writer of Hebrews also reminded us that faith AND patience are keys to inherit these promises. And that His promises bring Hope (Hebrews 6:12)
5. “God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NLT)
Have you been startled by Jenga in your sink … or in your mind?! Try these 5 things, and see how God will make you stronger, more resilient, and seeing things from God’s perspective … God’s strategy for your life-Jenga!
If you’ve never asked Him to join you in the middle of your sink (or life!) why don’t you try it today? Ask Him to give you His perspective and wisdom today – He loves you with an infinite Love!
Copyright (c) 2019 Jennifer Bryant-Choong. All Rights Reserved.
