For the rest of this month and a good portion of July, I want to look more closely at sayings and expressions and their origins. Yesterday was “At the eleventh hour”.
I smile when I think about today’s phrase because it was truest when I was a young mother.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, I was a stay-at-home mother of 4. I ran a tight ship and every child had chores and responsibilities. Every Friday my house was cleaned from top to bottom; beds stripped of their linens, floors washed of their grime; a place for everything and everything in its place. And I enjoyed my life, but…every once in a while I would be at my wit’s end, and that is the expression we are looking at today. It’s from the Bible.
“At your wit’s end”. The phrase comes from the Psalms.
“Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end.” Psalm 107:23-27 ESV
It sounds like the sailors are being thrown around by a storm at sea. The Hebrew translation of wits’ end is “and all their wisdom was swallowed up”.
Have you ever been so scared, you can’t think straight? This sounds like one of those times.
The Cambridge Dictionary describes it as “to be so worried, confused, or annoyed that you do not know what to do next.”
Regardless of the “what”, if you are feeling as though your life, if not the entire world, is spinning out of control, try this:
Go for a walk. Walk in nature if possible! This is proven beyond a shadow of doubt. Getting outside, in trees, or next to a stream or body of water, walking will very much improve your mood, not to mention the physical benefits.
Write in a journal. You could write your feelings or do what I started doing as my husband was dying, look up bible promises and then hand writing them in your journal. Whatever works for you, just grab a pen and paper.
I also keep a to-do list. I have one at work and I have one at home. It is imperative for me. It keeps down those feelings of being overwhelmed, and I can check things off as I get them done. That allows me a feeling of accomplishment.
I use essential oils. I carry in my purse “Clarity”. It’s a mixture of Basil, Cardamom, Rosemary, Peppermint, Rosewood, Geranium, Lemon, Palmarosa, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Roman Chamomile and Jasmine. I love it! I have used it for years.
I get my oils from Young Living, and they say a study performed by Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati found that inhaling peppermint oil increased the mental accuracy of students by 28 percent! Now, I have no such claim, but I do use a diffuser at home, and you will often smell Lavender or Frankincense. I also cook with essential oils. I have black pepper, rosemary, and oregano. I put a couple of drops of Lemon or Orange oil in my ice water. I put drops of fragrant oil on cotton balls and place them here and there. I enjoy the wonderful, strong aromas that come with essential oils.
You can also, and I saved the best for last, continue reading the chapter in Psalms. Picking up at the very next verse,
“Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:28-30 ESV
Friend, if you are at your wit’s end, if you are finding it more and more difficult to keep up with life, and the pace is crazy at times, don’t forget what to do. Reach out to the Lord.
Verse 31 says, “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”
Our God is so very good to us.
“He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.” 35-37
There is a plan; a Master Plan, and we are a part of it.
The chapter ends with verse 43, “Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” Psalm 107 ESV
Are you at your wit’s end? Contemplate the unwavering, unfaltering, persistent, unswerving, love of the Lord.
by Jeanette Stark – Tuesday, June 27, 2023
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