About two and a half years ago, I was struggling. I was overwhelmed by the busyness of life. I was desperately trying to juggle homeschooling, working from home, serving at church, keeping up with housework, making meals, and not turning into a total grouch by the end of the day.
I was setting my alarm daily to spend time with the Lord, but then my littles would interrupt. I would see the pile of laundry looming in my bedroom. The dishes would be calling to me from the sink. I would glance at the time knowing we needed to start school soon. My eyes would scan my to-do list and my heart would just sink.
Too much. Too many needs. Not enough time. Not enough strength to do it all. To accomplish it all. Too, too much! It would be so easy to just give up. To shut my Bible and hope for some sliver of time later. To just move on with my day and start tackling the lists.
But God! But God in His gracious kindness to me did not let me give up that time with Him. I asked my husband if I could pack up my Bible and notebook once a week and go to a coffee shop ALONE. I wanted one hour, maybe two, in the QUIET with the LORD!
That day I posted a picture of my Bible on social media with these words:
New Monday morning routine. An hour or two alone at [coffee shop] getting some extra time in the Word. A testimony I heard yesterday led me to Psalm 130. What a blessing these words are! “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is FORGIVENESS, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, AND IN HIS WORD I HOPE; my soul waits for the Lord…For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and in Him is PLENTIFUL REDEMPTION.” #amentothat
That day WAS a new routine. A routine that became a season where my soul cried out for MORE. But not MORE time. Not MORE of my own strength to get through the day. But MORE of God. I needed His presence.
I knew that my to-dos would still be there. That homeschooling, work, and ministry commitments would still need my attention. But my soul was at REST. I could REST in God’s Word. He filled me up to overflowing and has continued to lay the desire in my heart to spend time with Him.
Friend, if you are struggling and the world is just too much, if your daily to-do list is longer than your day, do the most counterintuitive thing you can think to do. PAUSE. And GO TO GOD. Stop striving. Stop working. Stop running the race.
Carve out whatever possible time you can. Whether you set your alarm for 4am or stay up until 2am. MAKE time to dig into God’s Word. Let HIS Word fill you up to overflowing. Let HIM be your strength. Admit your NEED for Him. Admit your INABILITY to balance all the things on your own. CRY OUT to Him. And REST knowing that He is a good Father. Our Good Shepherd who will lead us. Give us strength. Carry us. Discipline us. Protect us. Provide for us. And change us, to look more like His Son.