Yes, I am quoting myself! Not long ago, these words were a revelation to me about my own life, and I believe they are also true for your life. Allow me to elaborate..

It's not the passing of time that makes you old, it's what you let get to you. It's what you let frustrate you or make you angry; it's what you let make you feel weak instead of victorious; it's what you let rob your joy; it's what you let make you feel hopeless— like there's no light at the end of the tunnel; it's what you let sap your courage and doubt your purpose; it's what you let steal your dreams and your very soul. I confess, there are times I feel old.

I am a methodical, organized, and detailed person. I like those things about myself; however, I realize those characteristics are potential hindrances. Einstein said, "If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, of what then are we to think of an empty desk?" I neither prefer a cluttered desk nor an empty one, but I do prefer well-marked files, to-do lists, and a letter tray for every ongoing task. I long to create in clean, quiet, euphoria, completely present in the creative process. However, there are times I need to focus and function in chaos, and I don't always do that very well.

There have been times my writing was done in the bathroom because it was the only almost-quiet place in the house. Can you relate? There have been times when I allowed my circumstances and frustrations to literally exhaust me. Times when my stomach felt like someone was wringing it out like a sponge. During those times, I cried more than I care to mention. The bottom line is our circumstances don't always change as quickly as we would like them to. So when our circumstances don't change, it's time to change our mindset. I'm not sure who said it, but someone somewhere handed out some pretty good advice when they said, "Don't focus on the chaos, focus on the task." God's advice is even better. His Word, the Bible says,

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Isaiah 26:3 New Living Translation

So if you find yourself in the midst of chaos, vexed, frustrated, overwhelmed, and feeling old, remember this:

To stay in perfect peace
Don't focus on the chaos.
Don't focus on the task.
Don't focus on the circumstances.
Don't focus on yourself.
Focus on God.