When Our Doing is Overdone
Full Article shared on She Works His Way blog
I am honored to have been featured as a guest writer on one of my favorite ministry’s websites.
Here is an excerpt:
“I love stress!” said no one ever. Except me. I’ve said it. Maybe not in those exact words, but certainly in my actions. Most of my lifelong struggle with stress has been self-induced. I’ve unintentionally sabotaged my pursuit of peace with misplaced Christian habits and selfish ambitions. I thought I was limitless. I’d mask unsure feelings with obsessive focus on temporary things:
When I felt insecure, I’d revisit my achievements.
When I felt fear, I’d call my favorite hype girl.
When I felt weak, I’d overcompensate for my lack of confidence.
When I felt unlovable, I’d seek validation in shallow ways.
When I felt overlooked, I’d shine light on me, not God.
I was looking in all the wrong places to validate my worth. What once convinced me that I was indestructible, now brought exhaustion and feelings of worthlessness. Self-help audiobooks and empowering messages no longer soothed my restless mind.
Being a good Christian girl, I asked God to fix what wasn’t right. A pastor told me to pray more. I did. A friend told me to dream bigger. I did. A mentor told me to work harder. I did. A counselor told me to dig deeper. I did. And I did, and I did, and I did. I did all the things—until I couldn’t do anymore.
– When Our Doing is Overdone by Laura Mendenhall
