Ever Tapped Out Emotionally?

me at taekwondo ready to spar

 The term "TAP out" is used in martial arts. When someone is in a fight and they cannot fight anymore, they TAP out. It really means they are forfeiting the fight and choosing to lose. Many times, a fighter will TAP out in a chokehold or other strong armed hold they simply cannot get out of. Sometimes, it's a wise move to avoid serious injury. 

TAP is an acronym for To Avoid Pain. Tapping out is an honorable way of surrendering to another fighter. It is  usually a last ditch effort to survive without passing out or sustaining a bad injury. When the fighter Taps out, the ref calls the fight immediately. There is to be no more punches, throws, kicks, or fighting moves of any kind. The other fighter begins celebrating their win because it is over.

As a caregiver, there have been many times when I felt that I emotionally tapped out - just to survive. I usually describe those moments as times I sit, sip coffee, and stare at the wall. It means I'm done for the moment. I can't handle anything else at the moment mentally, physically, or emotionally. I'm done. 

God gets it when life paralyzes us. He understands when we just can't handle that one more thing. When we are so overwhelmed that one more straw will really break the proverbial camel's back. I love that God gets that - and He may seem silent, but He is very present and aware that life has overwhelmed us. Last night as I was getting ready for bed, I heard myself heave a long, deep sigh as I thought about getting back up this morning and doing all of "this" again. God heard that sigh and He felt everything behind it. He totally understood all the things I didn't even have words for - it only escaped as a sigh. And you know what? He didn't TAP out.

Psalm 46:1 reminds us that God is a very present help in trouble. He is present no matter what is going on in our lives. In fact, He is present even if we don't recognize it. God won't pack up and leave if He's not acknowledged - He waits. He has nowhere to go - doesn't have "better" things to do that to be present with us right smack dab in the middle of our circumstances.

Today, I will be thankful that He hears, sees, and feels my deep sighs. I'll remind myself that God is indeed in it for the long haul and He's not checking His watch or planning somewhere else to go. He is content to just be with me right here, right now. I'll take the words of Jesus to heart today - by reminding myself that He is with me and so I will not "let" my heart be troubled. Instead, I will "let" my heart trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

cover of the devotional Peace Out

BOOK OF THE WEEK


Peace Out!


• Did you know God gave us peace and never took it back?
• Do you need a little help refocusing your day?
•Are there really some practical steps to letting God’s peace reign in our hearts?


When the pandemic hit, we were inundated with information and misinformation. I woke up just a day or two into the mass confusion and realized that God’s peace didn’t expire in 2020. What He’d given us was still in tact and applicable to our daily lives, chaotic though they may have been. That’s when the Peace Out devotionals began live on Facebook – and continue to today.

This 31-day devotional takes a good look at peace and offers practical application on how to let it reign day after day. The presence of a storm, trial, or tribulation doesn’t negate God’s peace.

Get the eBook: https://dovesfireministriespublications.com/products/peace-out-its-in-the-bible


Kindle & Print https://www.amazon.com/Peace-Out-Bible-Jeanie-Olinger/dp/B0D64FL2CH/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=AUTHOR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JpxX2_nG3-Cnrgg1CSEez6dnq9xzXE_VYysYtqtXabp0-7ze3VBTZe2ivBbA2c2Fb9GP8l6kSUDu-tHRgjT7j8_NZPbxLjbXQPFfyrdaXNwWUXn2lNgwUHBxp7MCU_zMNtKxi1Usc9e0WUGHa65f8rqY0JE5nb_npbdasnT_0mhJUx_8BQlgidEn8-MUzWJu.8eEqpgqzbyQF90nTzR1vd00FAR2pp8Mm0qDYukYtnOE&qid=&sr=

#booktok #biblestudyguides #devotionals


Comments

Post a Comment

Our Most Popular Posts

Find a New Hobby for These Surprising Benefits

Image
   Hobbies can help us connect to our creative side, spend quality time with our loved ones , and boost confidence, and, as EverydayPower.com notes, they can also promote mental and physical wellness . Whether you’re learning something new from a class or taking the initiative to tackle a project at home, practicing a hobby can improve your quality of life enormously. Looking for something fun to do with a friend or loved one?   Here are a few suggestions when you’re ready to find a fun new hobby to try:   Choose something that boosts your health   It can be challenging to take care of your overall wellness at times, especially when you’re busy taking care of family obligations. Learning to focus on your physical and mental health needs is much easier when it’s fun, however, and that’s where a hobby comes in. Look for one that helps you get active , such as a yoga class, or consider starting a walking group or joining a local organization that allow...
Read more

But I Have Today

Image
Do you ever have days that are just heavier than others? Of course, you do - who am I talking to? Saturday was Chris' 37th birthday. For some reason, it was unusually hard as I thought of where all his friends are today. You know, married, having kids, and enjoying their careers. I cried more than once that day. I grieved over what should have been, what could have been.  I hugged him a little tighter and thought about the progress he's made recently. The other night, I am certain he "sang" to me after I got him in bed. It was the sweetest thing and I posted it in his Facebook group where I share things I don't feel I can share as "publicly." He's moving more and initiating more of his movement on his own. There are many things to rejoice about. At the same time, I am getting older. My joints hurt and I wonder how much longer I can take care of him. I fear the day that I won't be able to. This is the way the rest of my life looks, and I am okay w...
Read more

No Get Out of Jail Free Cards?

Image
  Do you ever feel like life just doesn't let up? Sometimes it seems like caregivers should get some sort of exempt card. You know? Something that lets us stay in the cave without having to deal with all the craziness that's going on in the world. Well, it was just a thought. I guess there are no "get out of jail free cards" in life. A pandemic rages on and we didn't get an exempt card, did we? Political and civil unrest didn't qualify us for one either. We have to deal with all the craziness in the world plus our caregiving responsibilities. Isn't caregiving enough? Dealing with aids who don't show, people and family who do not know how to help so they avoid us, and the traffic of health care professionals of all sorts is enough for any given day. Yet it happens over and over again. How do we stay sane?  Caregivers are resilient - we just keep going. Every night I go to bed feeling like I failed. I didn't get enough done. It's easy to focus on...
Read more