After the Bright Colors Are Gone

Don’t you just love the bright colors of autumn? The bright red maples, the shimmering yellow quaking aspens, the golden fields? Yeah, me too. I wish they would last longer. Same thing with sunrises and sunsets—the colors astound me every time. Only God could come up with palates filled with the colors you can see. But they don’t last long enough. My heart is filled up with the beauty of the moment, and then they are gone. I feel let down, somehow. As if these colors should last until—until what? Until I’m tired of them?
Life is like that, too. Remember how you felt the first time you ever kissed anyone (I mean, other than your parents or grandparents)? Remember the day you got married? Remember when your children were born? Remember the day you committed your life to Christ? Such a rush!
Does it ever seem to you that most of life is decidedly lack-luster? Ummm--yup. Maybe because it is. Most of life is doing day-to-day things, hum-drum, without excitement. Guess what? It's supposed to be that way. And thank God for that--I'm not sure I could survive constant doses of adrenaline.
Now I have a confession. I used to be an adrenaline addict. Nope--didn't take drugs--I just dug up things that would give me the excitement I craved. Flirting with guys I had no business flirting with. Illnesses. Dancing. Drinking. Overeating. Driving fast. Gambling. Spending money.
I have a theory--unproved, untested, just a theory. A lot of us are adicted. We go after things that give us a rush. Is that why alcoholics are alcoholics, smokers keep smoking and drug addicts have such a time kicking the habit? After awhile, our brains crave more and more of whatever substance (or activity) that gives us the rush.
How do you break the habits? How do you give up those things that create excitement or stop the craving?
For me, the answer is Jesus. When I fill my days with music, books, prayer, and activities that make Him happy with me, I'm also happy. When I slip up, I get defensive (first symptom), grouchy, picky, irritable, mean. In other words, I don't feel happy any more.
Sound familiar? Tell me what you think.