As I go sleep each night, often times, reflections and memories of the day as well as expectations of the next day keep my mind engaged despite my effort to fall asleep. Usually, I do not mind the process as I often spend that time praying: I thank the Lord for the blessings he has given me, my wife laying beside me (usually already asleep), and my son sleeping soundly in the next room. After a brief amount of time, my pillow starts to get warm and for whatever reason, it really starts bothering me. I shift my body and my head as I search for that perfect, comfortable position. After a few moments of discomfort, I decide to correct this problem by flipping my pillow to the “cool side” and I experience euphoria! It’s really insane. I know. All I do is turn the pillow over, but it brings me such joy and allows me to lie there and comfortably drift off to sleep.
I began this thought process last night as I flipped my pillow over, I believe it is necessary from time to time for us to “flip the pillow over” in certain areas to keep our lives in an effort to keep life from becoming uncomfortable, boring, and leaving us less than satisfied. I don't know about you, but sometimes life can become very disinteresting thus leaving us unfulfilled. We start to think about the lives of others and what they must be doing. After all, their life cannot be as boring as our life, can it? American's spend millions of dollars on this venue every year. There is an entire entertainment industry built around letting you see other peoples lives so that you may live vicariously through their experiences as you go through your boring, mundane existence. You don't have to look far as these magazines and newspapers are at every checkout counter from Florida to California.
Why do we search for happiness amongst others? As a culture, why do we spend so much money on entertainment as if that has the potential to make us happy? Jesus said, “I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly.” If Christ is indeed the answer, why are people so miserable? Why then is life so unfulfilled to so many? Why then is life so empty? The answer is clear, it is because we choose not to have a life centered around Christ. So, to keep life from become boring, we must first realize that Christ must be the center.
A wise man once said, “You are as happy today as you choose to be.” I believe that to be mostly true. I also believe that your life is as exciting as you choose for it to be. There are too many people that are not excited about living. If your life has become something that you are not happy with, that the take time to “flip that pillow over” and make it exciting. You would be surprised at what a difference a small change can have in your life. Here are three that have helped me as of late:
Number one, spend extra time reading the scriptures and in prayer. The Bible said, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” The problem that each of us have in our lives is that we don't use the Word of God to light our path; instead, we choose to walk around in darkness... and we wonder why our lives turn out the way they do. If I were to live drive tonight with my lights off, my chances of being involved in an accident have greatly increased. Friend, God wants you to be fulfilled and excited about your life; but true happiness and joy is not known outside of Christ. Joshua 1:8 teaches us that we ought to have a life of meditation on His Word and only then will we find true success. Listen, there is no real joy outside of Jesus Christ. If your life has become empty and vain and mundane and boring, it is because you are not meant to live unto yourself. I implore you to search out the one source of true joy and spend extra time throughout the pages of the best selling book of all time – the Bible.
Number two, switch things up a little bit in your relationships – this will spice up your life a little bit. You know, it seems as if Anniversaries, Birthday's, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, etc... it seems like all these days force us to remember a special person, a mile marker, an event, or a reason for celebration. Many times though, I feel that we take for granted so many things in our life for the simple reason that the date has not arisen for us to remember. Why do we need a date for us to remember the blessings and privileges that we enjoy? It seems as if we only think upon thankfulness at Thanksgiving and we only think of the freedoms we enjoy on patriotic holidays. I guarantee you if you “flip the pillow over” in terms of looking at the blessings you have in your life, you will soon see that your life is not boring at all. Instead, I believe that you will see that you have a blessed life that you have simply taken for granted. Why not take time today to send your wife some flowers (for no reason at all), take your husband out for dinner, thank a veteran, spend time reflecting upon your freedom, and begin thinking about the blessings God has given you instead of complaining about what you don't have? It doesn't take much, just a small change in your paradigm, and you'll be amazed at the difference.
Number three, do something for someone else. Scripture tells us, “Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Life does have a tendency to become predictable. I can promise you, since you feel this way from time to time that other people feel much the same way as well. Take some time out of your day to be a breath of fresh air to someone. Encourage someone. Perhaps God can use you to “flip the pillow over” in someone else's life. Who can you encourage today? Listen, life is hard. Pain is real. A pastor of yesteryear once said, “Be kind to everyone because everyone is having a rough time.” We all have areas of our life and issues in our family that we worry over. It really is more blessed to give than to receive. I know that you will find satisfaction in your life and you will get out of the rut when you get your eyes off of yourself and onto others. Someone has it worse than you do. Find that person and be an encouragement today.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Job tells us that life is short and full of trouble. Christ has not promised an easy or pain-free life or a life free of trouble, but He has promised us that we don't have to go through these things alone.
I think flipping the pillow over from time to time may be just the thing that you need to experience a breath of fresh air in your life. Snap out of the norm, break free from the ruts and routines that we all find ourselves in, and in doing so you will be surprised the joy that will engulf your life. Who knows? By flipping those things around in your life, you might just find that God will use you in a mightier way than you ever thought possible. “Flip that pillow over” and experience the cool side of life. Experience the life that God intended for you to have. You'll be amazed at the result.
Ephesians - “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly above all that we even ask or think.”
