06/01/2022
Good advice
Long thoughts because it’s the way the Lord made my brain😂⬇️
I used to pride myself on being busy to the point of wearing it like it was some badge of honor. I loved a crow barred schedule. We live in a "hustle loving" culture. We have been sold on an idea that if you are not busy then you are not productive and if you are not that then what are you doing with your life?!
Right?
I bought into it for all of ever. And honestly undoing that pace has been quite hard for me. There are still tempting times when I think I need to GO, GO, GO, or DO, DO, DO. ALL. THE. TIME.
But I know with everything inside of me it's the enemy's greatest trap for us all. He wants us distracted, busy, tired, stressed out and filled with chaos and overwhelm.
It's the easiest way for him to pull us from our Loving Lord.
And it's all deceiving...because even the good stuff we fill our lives with can end up distracting us from time with Him or the ability to see His favor and goodness everyday.
As I have gotten older I realize now that my constant, my hustle, my running around like crazy, isn't a place I want to reside in always. Of course we will have heavier weeks with more on our plate but I am speaking to those, ME especially, that choose or have chosen to live in this place always.
Sure, doing, working, and go after something is a good thing, so don't miss what I am getting at BUT we often get trapped and after awhile we end up feeling as frazzled and worn out as ever. A little hamster on a wheel just trying to keep it all going.
It leads to REAL burnout, hurt relationships and a really really tired soul.
That ain't the life for me.
I lived it. I don't want to go back to it.
I am two months away from 40, God willing, I hope I get some more years ahead and I want to feel Him, see Him, praise Him and relish in whatever lies ahead, good and bad and feel it all.
I don't want to wake up one day with an empty house and grown kids and wonder where it all went because I was chasing, distracted, overly busy and filled with stress.
SO much of what I felt in those rushed days was self-induced. It was way too many "YES'S" to things that really didn't matter. It was heavy on the people pleasing and doing lots for the favorable opinions of others.
I don't want to slip on back to the way the world tells me to live.
My husband and I have this convo so often...."when is enough, enough?"
We got to that point not that long ago. Because we both lived as the world told us to be and we finally had enough.
Our pace is just right, right now. And our pace might not be right for all but I am fairly certain we all want a little more space and margin in our life.
And we can get there. Ours came with a lot of simplifying.
Saying "no thank you" a bit more so we can say "YESSS" to moments when God calls us.
And the truth is, you can still get to where you want to go in a simplified manner, driving in middle gear, without rushing. Again, the world will tell you that you can't.
We don't have to live like society has told us to live.
When I live in a rushed state filled with stress and chaos, I miss EVERYTHING.
I miss the sunrises.
I miss the sweet first glances of my kids' sleepy faces when they way.
I miss the taste of the hot breakfast on my plate.
I miss the little nuggets of wisdom from my family.
I miss sunsets and a glass of wine with my friends.
I miss the heart to heart convos over midday coffee with my girlfriends.
And ultimately I miss a million other good things God has given us all. I don't want to miss anything, anymore, ever.
I want margin in my life. I want the sweet, middle part of my life. I want a steady pace. I want to look people in the eyes and really hear what they are saying without being distracted by the laundry list of to-do's in my head.
And most of all I want Jesus before anything BUT He doesn't get the best of me or the priority of my life when I live distracted, overwhelmed, fast paced and filled with chaos.
Perhaps this deep feeling to stay at this pace is an age thing or maybe it's Him continually transforming my heart and helping me see this world with His view instead of their view.
I am here for slow and steady, sweet friend.
A few less things on the list.
A couple of days you hang up the busy badge.
A couple of "no thank you's."
A day a week committed to fully resting.
All these little changes start help us to simplify and when we do we leave so much room for Him.
The number one question lately that I get: "How do I grow closer to God?"
And the simple answer is this: make room for Him.
It's really that simple. It's all the other things we have crammed in that make that simple answer hard to take action on. But it's possible. Take it from the girl who loved to rock her "busy badge" like it was the greatest accessory of all.
I pray this Psalm over us, today because I want to keep learning this from Him...
Dear Father God, "Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." (Psalm 90:12) In Jesus' name, Amen.
