Escape. Run away. Blow
this joint. It’s how I’ve been feeling lately. Outnumbered. Tired. At my
breaking point. Add to that external pressures and trials galore…that has been
my life lately.
However, in the midst
of my storm, I have sensed Jesus on the boat with me…sleeping. Instead of
waking him up and screaming, “Do you even care that I am drowning?” I want what
HE has…REST for my soul.
I don’t want to fear
what is or what is to come. I want to know that God is on the throne. He knows
I am being rocked about, and he is right there with me. No matter how I feel, I
AM NOT GOING TO DROWN.
God’s still, small
voice has been sending me little messages of hope through my trials: the
prayers of family and friends, a timely song on the radio, etc. Yet, this past
weekend as I got away with my husband to go to a discipleship conference
(another God-story I will be sure to express later), I felt like God was
talking to me in waves! Experiencing a flood of emotions, I cried. God was
speaking to me in so many ways. I knew that he had done more than heard my cry.
He was in the boat with me.
One of the many things
that God spoke to my heart about is the importance of scheduling REST into my
day, my week. I need to be intentional to take the time to take care of myself.
Some days I feel like I need to be an octopus mom with eight arms to be able to
tend to my three kids, 5 and under. Yet, I don’t think I am going to get that…nor
do I really want it. What I really need is a head start on them—a little bit of
“rest” at the beginning of my day before they wake up.
It’s a funny thing that
rest would require sacrifice on my part, but I need to wake up earlier than
them and spend time with the Lord. I do not like having my kids wake me up. I
feel like I can barely get up and go potty (sorry…TMI) before they start with
their litany of requests. They wake up on full throttle—ready to take on the
day with my help. I don’t! I need time with my heavenly Father before I can
joyfully spend time with them. I need to be filled up with HIS peace, love, and
joy so that I can pour that same peace, love, and joy on my kids.
Jesus modeled this
thing called rest so many times in scripture. He didn’t run away and escape. He
spent quality time with his Father, got filled up with HIS spirit, and was
ready to serve again. I am not smarter that Jesus. If he needed time with his
heavenly Father, then so do I.
You see, there is a
difference between escaping and resting. When I escape, I am purely selfish. I
am running from problems. I usually come back feeling guilty, and my problems
are still waiting for me. However, when I plan rest: time with the Father and
time to go out with my hubby or friends, I feel refreshed. God wants us to have
a healthy rhythm of work and rest. We need to abide in him, so that he can send
us out…“out” to our coworkers, our kids, our hubby, our mom friends, to the
lost.
Mom, let’s be
intentional about this life we have been given. Let’s schedule our rest with
the Father. Let’s schedule some time with our hubby, for ourselves. Let’s
create some healthy rhythms of work and rest so we can pour our lives out
instead of being drained out. Will you join me?
“Come to me, all you
who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Your love for us is
great, and all your ways prove true. You created the world in six days, and
then you rested. Your son Jesus modeled a perfect life for us. He would go off
to the mountainside and pray. He had genuinely relationship with you. Help us
do the same. Help us to find our rest in you, to abide in you. Fill us with
your love, your joy, your peace, your kindness, your faithfulness, your
goodness, your gentleness, your self-control…so that when the trials of this life
come, we will not be shaken. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Really!!! needed that!!!! Thanks <3
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