One Bite at a Time

This is a saying that we all have heard some time or another throughout our life. I think that we often overlook it and don’t REALLY think about how powerful of a statement it truly is. If you think about it it can be applied to most if not all aspects of your life. Whether it be a big work project or a big decision are having to be or even if it is an entirely new situation in front of you, it can be conquered by taking it on one bite at a time.

Very recently my sister had to remind me of this saying. I was getting so run down and stressed about all the things I had going on. Between school work, sports, and church, I very rarely had a night off. I always want to complete everything I do to the absolute best of my ability no matter how simple the task may be. But sometimes, when you try to eat the whole elephant in one bite, you choke and have to take some out of your mouth to focus on one bite at a time before you can move onto the next bite. When my sister reminded me of this saying I saw clearly that I was choking and could not continue to do everything that I was doing. I had to take something that I love and look forward to each week out of my ”mouth” in order to focus on the other things that are going on around me. By no means was this an easy decision to make, but it was the right thing to do in the long run.

The other thing that she reminded me about, without even knowing it or meaning to, was the fact that God isn’t going to give us anything that we can’t handle or that we aren’t prepared for. Yes, there are seasons of stretching, which can most definitely be more of a challenge than the other seasons we go through, but often times are the most rewarding in the end. During the stretching process, you learn about yourself more as well as more about your Heavenly Father. No matter how many homework problems you have, how many hours of school work you have, or how many activities you have going after work, it’s not too much for you to handle. And yes, you might have to manage your time VERY wisely, but you will still get everything done that you need to get done. The other three things we need to keep in the back of our minds when we are stressing out is that 1) Our Creator is still at work in us, 2) He has equipped us with every skill that we need to make it through the tasks that are in front of us, and 3)we are never alone and never will we have to go through anything by ourselves. God has placed every person in your life for a specific reason and they are always there to help pull you back up after an elephant has been stepping on you from every direction. I have seen this quote a few places now, but I think the first place I saw it was Pinterest (my guilty pleasure) and it says "The best kind of friend is a praying friend." I really like this quote because when you are stressed out and overwhelmed you don't need or want sympathy, you need something to change and you need peace and balance.

When life gets chaotic and overwhelming, take a step back, breath, think about the place that makes you most happy and try to remember every detail you can about it. From the color of what is around you to the smallest scratch on the floor. Breath in, breath out and remember that all things are possible with God and you are going to make it through this and will get everything you need to get done, done. Hold onto the simple things and don’t take the small amounts of free time you might have for granted. One day you might be wishing for the times when you were board.

Takeaways:

1. Don't underestimate the power of simple things

2. Recognize when you have bitten off more than you can chew

3. God will not place anything in front of you that you can not handle or that you are equipped for

4. You are a work in progress and are continuing to learn new things every day

5. Lean on those around you for support (they are there for a reason)

6. A praying friend is the best kind of friend there is

7. All things are possible with God

8. TAKE EVERYTHING ONE BITE AT A TIME