So many times I find myself dealing with physical ailments that get me down physically, emotionally and spiritually: headaches, fatigue, weariness, pains, illnesses, etc. There are plenty of books written out there that emotional stresses can make us physically stick and I do know that when our hearts hurt, everything else hurts. Our adrenal glands and hormones get all out of wack, we are less guarded about good nutrition and health and we fall weaker by the day until we find ourselves laid out! We are forced into a time out.
For those of us who are full in our days and don't feel like we have time to stop and rest in light of all that needs to be done, we will push through to the point of breaking to keep going. Do we think we are stronger than God? Even after His fruitful work, He took time to rest. And yet, we fool ourselves that we can do it all and be super humans, accomplishing more in one morning than many do all day! We go, go, all week in our schedules and in our minds that by the end of the week, our minds are spinning, sloshing really and we cannot process a normal thought to save our life. It's time for a rest!!!
It's not even all the to-do's of the week, as if we are over-committed while that may be the case for some, but there are just seasons in our life where one area of our life demands more attention for a season and yet we continue on as if we can still manage everything and get through it. But we don't. Something gives. Often, it's something within us. We miss a detail, an opportunity, a help, our health gets weary and our strength to keep pushing, depletes. We not only let someone else down, we let ourself down and guilt amplifies exhaustion. We are a dizzy mess! And you know what else, often when we are "down" we need other people's help...not something easy to accept when you're a Can-Do-It-All girl. Pride check, yep, ouch.
I wonder what God feels when He brings something into our life that needs our greater attention and we simply fit it right into the to-do list that we already have, rather than changing our priorities to align with His? Or if we do have everything in their appropriate priority and yet we don't take time to rest and be still after our days of work. Are we greater than He?
I could certainly keep myself busy between all the kid's volunteering opportunities at their schools, volunteering for all the great ministries at church, keeping my house spotless which would involve full days everyday to keep it clean and laundered and stocked with all it needs to run, lunching with visitors to our class and lunching with each friend, date night with my man each week and prayer, oh I could stay there hours upon every day, writing out encouragement cards for the many in my life who are struggling in some way, oh and keeping myself physically fit and groomed spending hours each day at the gym and salon...and then reading my Bible and getting into good study time....I have spent full weekends gifted from my husband doing just that!! He knows what I love to do in my "free time!" Give me my Bible, Music, Coffee and Quiet and I will be one happy girl!!! I just can't do that every day. One weekend a year is my gift and I love it!! There is just not enough hours in a day to do all these good things we want and wish could be ours!!
But, God has already ordered our days and there is an order we must be obedient to follow. There is a balance and what each of our days look like will be different. Careful not to judge for what God has called another to, it may not be your call and therefore you cannot possibly understand how and where that fits into their life. We assume "those people" do it all. We don't know what they may have had to sacrifice for a time to accomplish what God has called them to for that season.
Same for us, we must change as the seasons change (Ecclesiastes 3) otherwise we will find ourselves unfit for the change of weather. To every season is a different activity and a different clothing. You may love to snowboard but when summer comes, try as you might, you will exhaust yourself trying to make it down those dry runs! Our bible study class read through Genesis chapter on the Tower of Babel and God scattered their language and their actual selves when they were walking in disobedience. There is wisdom for us there.
One thing we know for sure...we must take time to rest as we work! God worked and rested. Jesus slept. Jesus took time to get alone. He prayed, He healed, He taught, He shared, He was involved in the lives of others and yet He was not consumed by any one thing other than He had His Father's priorities, doing just as His Father asked and did, working and resting.
If today you find yourself a dizzy mess or plain ol' exhausted, check what season God has called for you to be in, getting done what's appropriate and necessary; and if you are prepared for your season, make sure you are finding the balance and priority of God's, taking time to be still, breathing in those deep breaths God has counted out for you. By faith, hope and love, enjoy your season's work and rest!
"but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 30:41
"So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:9-13
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