Look Alive, Sis! 7 Days to Awaken Your Sober MindSýnishorn

Staying Present

Some of us seasoned gals remember what an “eject button” was for. Cassette players, CD players, and DVD players had an eject button for when we wanted to spit the cassette or disc out of the machine.

Did you know we do this in our lives too? We choose “eject” when we bail on our good intentions from early that morning.

We choose “eject” when we soothe a heartache, and avoid our feelings, with a pint of Rocky Road while bingeing Netflix.

We choose “eject” when we pour our drink of choice so that we don’t have to feel, don’t have to deal.

Sis, please know I’ve hit that eject button more times than I can count! I know it’s hard to sit trapped in a moving car with conflict between others swirling inside, just counting down the minutes till you can order a glass of wine at dinner. I can relate if you’ve ever had your feelings hurt, been misunderstood, or just felt challenged and looked for an escape hatch . . . because the pain felt like it would crush you. You drank “at” it to make it stop or at least to silence it for a bit. I’ve even hit the eject button out of sheer boredom and as a way to alter my circumstances.

Today, I am making the choice not to use it…at least not in an unhealthy way. Instead, by God’s grace and power, I’m choosing to stay present in all circumstances.

Even when it’s uncomfortable, I’m opting to stay in the moment.

But I also want you to hear that staying present in the moment has its own rewards! When we’re sober-minded, when it’s not all about us, we notice when our partner appears to be feeling low. When we choose to stay in the moment, we are able to be fully present to a sister, a friend, a child. When we choose not to eject, we’re able to build resilience, honor our personal integrity, and make better choices as we continue this journey.

Choosing to stay present in the moment means that we’ll experience discomfort or overwhelm sometimes. But God has given us what we need, with His Spirit, to handle temporary discomfort! In Hebrews 13:21 we’re reminded that we are equipped with everything good that we may do His will in our lives! We can cope with negative reality. There may be a voice whispering in our ear that we will crumble or explode if we don’t eject, but that’s actually untrue.

How will you choose to stay present in the moment?