If we’re honest and take the time to pay attention to our lives, I believe we’ll all find patterns that we continuously fall into. Satan tends to set the same traps for us, and unfortunately, we tend to walk right into them- over and over. If we are going to progress and experience fullness of joy and life, we must begin recognizing patterns.
Recognizing Patterns: 5 Tips
1. What gets you down?
Take the time to pay attention to what gets you down. What frustrates you and interrupts your peace & joy? It may seem weird, but I encourage you to start journaling your bothers. Write down your worries and frustrations. When you have those outbursts or onslaughts of discouragement, write about it. This will enable you to go back and identify patterns.
I think you’ll be surprised at how easy you’ll identify them.
2. What are your routines?
What do you do on a regular basis? How does it make you feel? Start paying attention to the things you do, as well as how you feel when you do them. Begin thinking about how you’re spending your time and consider if your routines are moving you forward or holding you back.
3. How do you cope?
We all have stressful moments and rough days. No one is exempt. I believe what makes us different is how we respond to those tough times. Be honest. How do you cope? You may find that your coping mechanisms are really more destructive than the tough times themselves. Start to pay attention to how you respond to your stressors. Focus on healthy ways to cope with the inevitable difficulties of life. For instance, today was a rough day for me and you know what I’m doing right now?
I’m on the couch with a soft blanket, pillows, hot tea, a stack of books and journals, while writing on my laptop.
When times get tough for me, I run to Him and look to the hills from whence cometh my help. For I know my help cometh from the Lord.
4. How do you think?
Even tonight, God had to make me aware of how I so easily slid into unproductive, unhealthy thought patterns. You see, our brains will always gravitate toward the path of least resistance. This means that if you have thought negatively and destructively for a long time, even when trying to change those patterns, your brain will gravitate toward them. [Watch The Creative Brain on Netflix.]
We must become very intentional and very assertive in the quest to retrain our brains. I recently read a Joyce Meyer magazine where she referenced “think sessions”, which are times for us to intentionally think well.
5. What do you see?
What do you see for your life? How do you see yourself? What does the ideal you look like? How do you act and interact with others?
One of the problems that we run into in life is that time never stops. Since everything keeps going we feel the need to constantly keep going and keep up the pace. This is not effective.
Sometimes we must stop and do nothing. We must be still and know (Psalm 46:10). We must step away from the crowd and pray (Luke 5:16). This is when we are able to seek God and His plan for our lives. This is when He blesses us with clarity and vision to keep moving forward.
The beautiful ideas and perspectives that I gain in life, DO NOT come from the world. They come from God which then allow me to function well in this world. You know, we are in this world but not of it and as we prioritize time with God, He helps us with recognizing patterns so we can live victoriously- not haphazardly.
Read A Time to do Nothing
