Why Be Agitated?

   One afternoon while I was in another part of the house, a loud drumming noise came from the laundry room. The washing machine was the culprit. It had gotten out of balance during the spin cycle with too many wet towels all piled on one side of the basket.

   Now, some movement back and forth is normal, but this was out of the ordinary! In fact you might say it was highly agitated, fitting the Webster’s definition exactly: “to move violently, stir up or shake up.” By the time I reached the laundry room, the washer had slid across the tile floor until it was touching the cabinets and sink on the opposite wall!

   It wasn’t an easy task to pull the heavy machine back to its proper position. After trying three times to balance the weight of the wet towels inside, I finally had to remove a few of them before the washer resumed a normal rinse and spin cycle. Unfortunately, when that load was finished and the remaining towels were spinning in the basket, the washing machine did its dance all over again.

   This time, while dragging it back to the right spot, I banged my head against a cabinet and then knocked down the three aluminum connectors which conducted air and lint from the back of the adjacent dryer outside through a vent in the floor. Suddenly, a big metal section on the front of the dryer fell to the floor with a bang! What a finale! In spite of all of the trouble caused by both of those machines, I had to laugh.     

   Maybe a little cement would solve the problem! That would keep the washer from sliding across the floor when the load became unbalanced, but it might cause the whole house to shake! The most practical solutions are 1) not overloading it in the first place and 2) balancing the weight of the clothes more evenly around the basket.

   The washing machine and dryer routine created a great picture of the way I had been feeling all that morning and the previous day. Ever hear some news which is really upsetting? Really bad news? We all have…and most of us react by going immediately into the “agitation” mode. That’s what happened to me!

   When a phone call brought some unexpected news, my thoughts immediately started spinning out of control, generating fear and anxiety which produced more agitated thinking, which in turn generated more fear and anxiety. It was a vicious circle.  

   The prophet Isaiah shared great wisdom and advice in these two verses found in the Old Testament: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.” (Is 26:3-4 NIV)

   In verse 3, the word “steadfast” brings to mind synonyms such as: cemented, anchored down, unwavering. Note that the word “Lord” is repeated three times in verse 4! God is and always will be completely trustworthy. Believing that truth steadfastly will stop all mental and emotional agitation! I want His perfect peace. Don’t you?

   Dear Father, Please forgive us for the doubt and worry which come creeping into our minds whenever we hear bad news. Please teach us to trust you whole-heartedly. You are the Lord, our Rock! Thank you for your perfect peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.