Hard Work Vs. Hustle

    As we prepare for the new addition to our family a lot has happened. I've had lots of different symptoms. One major one is fatigue. It happened a lot in the first trimester and now it's happening again. Either that, or I'm just working myself too hard.

   What I mean is our last month was very busy. It was filled with events with family and friends, with appointments, and other general times of being busy. There were weeks I felt like I didn't get any rest. To top it off, we are also preparing our home for the baby. I've been working on building items for the baby and figuring out what else we need.

   After a month of all this I was exhausted and becoming overwhelmed. There were times I felt like I was doing it all on my own. At times I felt like no matter how much I got done it was never enough because the list keeps growing. The list still isn't done and I just keep adding things. I became discouraged and emotional because I felt tired and like no matter what I did it wasn't good enough.

   Then, one night after working most of the day, I went to JA to serve at our church. I was quiet on the ride there because I was tired and overwhelmed. My husband asked me if I was okay. I began to tear up as I said, "it's just so much work." Then I pulled myself together and ran the sound system at church for JA. 

   After JA was over, my husband went out with friends. I went to the grocery store. When I got home I put the items away and went to read a book I had just begun. God must have known what I needed because the chapter I read in the book talked about who we are doing things for. It talked about hard work vs hustle. Hustle means you get things done and stay busy. So busy that you wear yourself thin. I felt like that's where I was at. Hard work means you give your best in each thing you do. Remember the verse that says "work as if you were working for the Lord and not man (Colossians 3:23 paraphrased)?" That's what hard work is. 

   I knew this but I had forgotten. I think we have a tendency to do that. We know the answers to the Christian questions but forget or don't apply them the right way to our lives. At that moment, after reading, I felt peace. I was reminded that I wasn't doing any of this work for my husband, me, or even our baby. I was doing all of it for God. He sees the work I do each day and, as long as I do my best, he is proud. Everything that needs to get done for the baby to come will get done. I don't have to hustle. I need to work hard but remember to slow down and rest in his presence each day. That's how we become filled again. We become full by spending time with God. He gives us what we need.

   So are you more of a hustler or a hard worker? How can you spend time with God each day?

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?

A Dangerous, Good Walk

    One of the things I enjoy doing is watching movies. And, yes, I even enjoy romantic comedies. One day I was watching the movie called Bride Wars and I noticed something I hadn’t heard before. In the beginning of the movie Emma and Liv, the main characters, are going for a run/walk in the park. Liv complains that she wants to run with an I Pod. Emma replies with something along the lines of I Pods are for people who are afraid of their own thoughts.

   Later, Liv and Emma’s friendship takes a turn for the worse. Through a course of events, we can see how these characters change. Then one day Emma is running in the park, and we see that she had an I Pod. It seems that Emma was now afraid of her own thoughts, or at least that was the way she put it.

   One day I decided to do something dangerous. I decided to follow Emma’s first advice. I went on a walk without an I Pod, music, or anyone to talk to. Now this was especially dangerous at that time because I had a lot going on. I was a bit nervous to try it, because as an overthinker, it can be very scary to be alone with your thoughts. 

   I went on this walk and tried to clear my head. As I did that, I felt the spirit lead me. I began to recall words from the podcast I had heard earlier that week. I began to have questions pop in my head that were good questions. Those thoughts led me to peace. Because I chose to let the spirit lead me, I didn’t have any dangerous thoughts. I didn’t spiral. I didn’t overthink. And that happened because I trusted God.

   So, when was the last time you chose to spend some time talking with God? How can you follow God’s leading each day?

https://youtu.be/QHoahiRrDMI