Learning to Rest

   I don't know about you, but I am very good at doing things. By doing things I don't mean I do a lot of things well, though I do some well. What I mean is I am good at keeping myself busy. I am good at reminding myself of what needs done in my life and doing my best to get it done when it needs to get done. I may not like doing it but I am good at getting it done.

   I'm good at staying busy. I'm good at overthinking every little thing I need to do and sometimes thinking about the things I've gotten done. When I think about the things I've gotten done it is an encouragement, usually. Sometimes it is a burden because I think I could do those things better. But the point is, I'm good at staying busy.

   I'm good at being a Martha. You remember Martha from the Bible? She's the one who cooked and cleaned for Jesus and his disciples. She's the one whose sister, Mary, sat at Jesus' feet instead of helping Martha. She's the one who Jesus reprimanded for yelling at her sister to come help her with the food. Jesus wasn't upset at Martha for all the things she was doing. He was saying that all those things were getting in the way of what is really important: spending time with him.

   Sometimes I think we use busyness as an excuse. We have a long to do list and we want to get it done asap. But, have you ever noticed that our to do list just keeps growing. No matter how much we get done, more still comes that we need to do. That to do list has a horrible habit of getting in the way of spending time with God. Think about the last time you tried to spend time with God. Were you actually present and focused on him or were you focused on the things that needed to get done? I've done it both ways, as I'm sure you have as well. 

   I think many of us could all use a lesson in stopping, spending time in silence, being present with God, and resting in him. When we rest in him, we regain strength to do what needs to get done. We are polishing our armor, if you will, to prepare ourselves for what we need to do and the battles we may face each day. That's why resting in him is so important: it gives us a relationship with him, gives us rest, and helps us grow in him.

   So, have you been too busy lately? How can you spend time with God each day?