The hard way isn't the only way

Chris cut a tree down in our yard yesterday. It was quite a big project! 

He fortunately had a chain saw to help him, but I kept thinking about how much harder it would have been (not to mention the huge amount of time added) to try and do it on his own, with a hand saw or an axe. It would definitely be possible (people have been doing it for a long, long time), but with access to power tools, he just doesn't have to. 

After the tree was cut, Brayden helped haul the branches and trunk pieces to the curb. I came out to help about 10 minutes after the guy started cleaning up, and I noticed there were some really heavy logs that were going to be really difficult to carry -- even with two people. I remembered we have a utility cart, so I ran and grabbed it. We loaded the logs into it and hauled them to the curb with far less effort than we would have made without it. 

In both instances, the tools did the bulk of the work. 

This wasn't us avoiding effort; it was us making the most of the tools we had available. 

I think sometimes we naturally think that the harder we're working or the busier we are, the better job we're doing. But that's not actually how God set this up. Yes, we are meant to stretch and grow, which require a certain level of struggle, but I think rather than use all of our available energy to do life the hard way, God would rather we tap into His help and use that energy for helping others.

I believe this is true because we have access to some really powerful spiritual tools if we'll fuel and operate them properly. This allows us to do what we need to do, with much less effort than we otherwise would. 

My favorite power tool to use, especially lately, is prayer. I have really been trying to learn more about it, and it's been a beautiful experience to expand my understanding of its simplicity. This has allowed me to use prayer to not only talk to God, but then listen and act on the thoughts and feelings I have. When I do this, I feel a huge increase of power and ease in my life. I'm still tackling big things, but they don't feel overwhelming when I use this amazing tool. 

I could name several recent examples of friends who have used prayer to carry them and their families through incredibly tough times. This power tool doesn't require a license or a trades certificate in order to operate it. It just requires an open heart and a willingness to listen and act. There is more peace, more joy, more hope, and more energy available when we do.