Shake It Off....

You know those phrases...."Shake it off" or "Let it roll off your back"?
We should let "it" be like water on a ducks back and let it just roll off.....
Don't let it stay with you....

"It" being something that is bothering you, something someone has said that hurt you, something you did wrong a mistake you made...etc.

I struggle with doing this. I realize it when I find myself crippled by the effects of the things that trouble me. I think I have always done this. I think many of us do.
Do you??

I watched a word picture. a lesson of sorts, play out before me last weekend when I went to watch my teenage grand-daughter at Cheer Competition.

There were many well practiced, skilled, incredible girls doing their cheers, dances and stunts. Not many mistakes were made (errr...noticed!).
I saw one girl make a little fumble in her flip, she briefly fell to the ground, but she was UP on her feet with her smile just as big as it was before. I kept on watching her to see if she was gonna be "off" from this little falter. She was NOT. She kept on going like nothing ever happened! I was so impressed. I am sure deep inside she was feeling like "bummer! I fell" but NOTHING showed on her face! She was definitely letting it roll off her back, she definitely shook it off immediately, and carried on.

Later I saw an opposite episode take place. Once again there was a falter, a fall...but this time the cute little cheerleader did not seem unaffected. In fact her face wore the episode all over it. She looked fretful and her smile was completely gone. She seemed to be shaken and off one beat the rest of the routine, as if she just could not make up for that one mis-step. It completely consumed her and affected her every move.

I sat there thinking what a great visual that was for this issue I have been dealing with; NOT shaking it off, not letting it roll off my back. Instead I tend to keep on falling all over myself for the ONE mistake I made, or the ONE problem I am having, for the ONE time someone hurt me.
Instead of it owning ONLY that ONE moment it happened, I am allowing it to own SO MUCH MORE!

I have mentioned before that I am taking a Soul Restoration Course (see side bar for more info..they are offering more classes coming up and I HIGHLY recommend them!!!). In this class we are referred to as "Brave Girls" (that is the name of the group that puts these classes on). So I have begun telling myself "You are BRAVE...you CAN do this!" You are not that one thing, that one moment, that one infraction.
Move on.
Carry on.
Put that smile back on your face.

If you let it roll off your back right away it will not bottle up and build up and become something far more than it should be in your heart and life. Otherwise it can fester and build up and become a deep infection within you causing you more pain and suffering than necessary.

Let me be your reminder today to; Let it roll off your back.
Shake it off and carry on!

Here's to shaking it off, even when we fall before HUNDREDS of spectators, and carrying on in God's strength!!!
When you find yourself falling this week, I pray you remember to pick yourself up and carry on. Take it to God and be released from the stronghold it can keep on you.
Remind yourself that YOU ARE BRAVE!!!

Have a happy and blessed week full of BRAVE moments!
XO