The Experience of Relief

Tension builds within each of us. What we hanker for — all our problems and challenges create apprehension which we seek to resolve. All of life depends on relief.

Relief is about peace. But peace cannot happen without conflict, for peace is a product of having resolved the conflict. Relief is the golden process for the vitality of transaction in any stage of life. It’s our answer for hope.

Resilience is about the skilful acquisition of relief — even when it’s temporarily acquired by the moment, as if on loan.

Securing Relief

We must first understand that the aim is to secure this thing; and by which means, is critical. For instance, we can’t clamour for it. It must come of its own accord into our hands, by simple request.

There are conditions set for establishing relief, some of which are:

C Physical constraints commonly impose delays in obtaining relief. These are most often seen.

C Financial issues are also seen or foreseen. They encourage us to set goals to establish relief.

C Understanding the timing for relief is also to be accepted. We can’t manipulate the timing for our ends when there are other people or processes contingent.

Relief is about space.

Securing relief, then, is about creating the space to not only survive, but thrive.

When relief eludes us, then we’re easily maddened in frustration — our vital goals are blocked.

Resilience, again, is not only obtaining relief, at the right time, and in the right ways, it’s also getting it some other way than the norm; wherever it’s possible.

Enhancing Relief

Now this is the key to life itself when we consider that establishing practical control over our lives is, at terms, wisdom. (This has nothing to do with the relinquishing of control of our lives to God, for spiritual wellbeing. Indeed, we relinquish control only to see God giving us control back — but under alliance to him.)

The point is, it’s one thing to secure relief as and when we need, with the patience to endure wherever delays present; it’s another thing, entirely, to take that position a notch higher — in courage, to innovate.

This is the process of bravely planning for the acuity of relief that helps us soar into another dimension of peace.

It’s foreseeing barriers, challenges and problems before they even arrive. To do this, we have to plan; a day ahead, and in many cases, a week or more.

This means we have to take time out to plan; to be more deliberate and intentional about life.

This is about having the courage to make decisions now rather than later. It’s deciding to adjust people’s expectations of us now, than possibly upset them later.

Planning provides space, which engenders relief, and that provides peace.

Create space.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.