Drama (Part 1)

Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus..."

99% of the drama in our lives isn’t significant in the long run, because it isn’t even real.  It’s all in our heads.  Just a momentary rise in our blood pressure for all the wrong reasons. In a nutshell, most drama is simply the consequence of our inner resistance to outer incidents.

There’s a strong chance the drama you are going through at any given moment is not fueled by the words or deeds of others, or any external sources at all. It's being fueled primarily by your mind that gives the drama importance. We all do this to ourselves from time to time.

But why do we get so easily stressed out and sucked into needless drama that really doesn't involve us?

It’s because the world isn’t the predictable, orderly, and peaceful place we’d like it to be.  We want things to be easy, comfortable and well ordered. Unfortunately, sometimes work is hectic, relationships are challenging, important people demand our time, we aren’t as prepared as we’d like to be, and there’s just too much to do and learn and process in our minds, so our inner resistance begins to boil over.

The problem is that we’re holding on too tightly to ideas that don’t match reality.  We have subconsciously set up expectations in our minds of what we want other people to be, what we want ourselves to be, and what our work and relationships and life “should” be like.  Our resistance to accept things as they are stirs stress in our minds and drama in our lives. We don’t want to be a part of this drama, or at least that’s what we tell ourselves.  So we blame others for it and then we engage in even more of it!

So how do we break the cycle, let go of drama, and find peace with reality.

-Focus on what you’re feeling.  Don’t numb it with distractions, but instead bring it further into your awareness. Turn to it, and welcome it.  Smile, and give what you feel your full presence. Notice the feeling in your body.  Where is the feeling situated, and what unique qualities does it have?

-Relax the tense parts of your body.  Then relax the tense parts of your mind.  Do so by focusing on your breath: Close your eyes, breathe in and feel it, breathe out and feel it, again and again, until you feel more relaxed.

-Allow yourself to rediscover the fundamental goodness within you, that’s present in every moment.

-Recognize the fundamental goodness of this very moment is always available to you whenever you’re willing to focus on it.

You can stop the needless drama in your life, and rediscover the peace and joy and love that are always available through Jesus. Just let His mind be in you and see the difference it makes.