Have you ever wanted something so badly you were willing to put anything and everything on the line to get it? Worked so hard you forgot to eat? Decided pulling an all nighter made more sense than sleeping?
Sometimes we can get so caught up in the things we think we need to do that we disconnect ourselves from the source.
Are you too busy for God?
For those of you who don’t know me personally, I’m a go getter. I find it hard to sit still. I’m the sort of person who goes to bed and dreams up new plans and ideas. The type of person that struggles to stop until her dreams are turned into action.
But it’s exhausting.
I’m a business woman. Single-handedly running two businesses of which God inspired me to create. With my time split and my resources thin, I find myself stressed, tired, overwhelmed, underpaid, overworked and sleep deprived.
Is this how it’s supposed to go? Can you relate?
Every day is different and recently I’ve found myself so busy, I think i’m in danger of losing sight of something more important than anything, my soul.
What if I told you I’ve been working so hard on smashing business goals, trying to be successful, I’ve swapped spiritual food for junk and true rest for restlessness. I’ve worked myself to a place where I’m too tired to read, too exhausted to share, too preoccupied to listen and too busy to show I care.
And it’s exhausting.
It’s not supposed to be this way.
What does God mean when He says rest?
The Bible tells us that God has an alternative to this work (repeat 6 times) that our culture deems as normal.
Take your burdens to Jesus and lay them at His feet
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”" - Matthew 11:28-30
First we need to lay our burdens down at Jesus' feet. So often we are carrying weights that don't need to be carried. We are metaphorically juggling every piece of our lives on one hand whilst riding a unicycle!
Take it to Jesus. There's a beautiful song by Anna Golden that simply says:
'When your questions don't have answers and you just can't understand it
When your mind just won't stop running and the tears just keep on coming
You don't have to explain it
He hears you before you can speak
Come with me, let's take it to Jesus
Let's take it to Jesus'
Seek God first
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” - Matthew 6:33
Secondly, even though it sounds so crazy and counterproductive, STOP putting everything else before God. When you do that, your life swings out of balance. It might seem like you're making progress but when everything stems from God Himself and we put Him at the back of the queue of priorities in our life, we will never find true rest.
God should always be first, God should always take centre stage. Instead of fitting everything into a box and trying to add God afterwards, we need to put God in the middle and organise the rest of our lives around Him.
Writing letters as if I we're talking to God
Below is a conversation of what I think God would say to me and what I'd say back to Him in response to my situation. It helps me to journal things out and write as if God were receiving my prayers as letters in the post. I hope this helps someone.
God's love letter for my tired soul
Dear Christian,
Is there anything in this world more worth your time, faithfulness or devotion than your relationship with God? Nothing in this world should be allowed to steal your prayer time. Its in those moments of humility that you pour out your heart to God. It’s right there at His throne you talk to the Creator of the universe and He promises to hear anyone who comes to Him with an open heart. Nothing in this world should be allowed to steal your devotional time. It’s where God talks back to you. Where you open the pages of His word and see for yourself the ways He’s blessed others and wants to bless you. Nothing in this world should stop you from repentance. How painful it would be to miss out on everything God has planned for you simply because you didn’t take the time to say sorry. God is always ready and waiting to forgive, just ask. Lastly nothing in this world should stop you from clinging to the Saviour. If there’s anything or anyone in your life that draws you away from your Maker, even if it’s a gift He has given you, let it go. Our God should be always first on the throne of your heart.
My love letter to God
Lord,
I’m sorry. You are supposed to be my everything but I lost sight of that and made you my sometimes. I’ve been so busy worrying about what tomorrow holds that I’ve forgotten You hold all my tomorrows. I’ve fed my fears and starved my faith and now I feel distant. It was me who moved. Your word says that there’s nothing that can separate me from Your love. I don’t deserve it but I’m grateful. Help me to go where You want me to go and do what You ask. Help me to stop carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders and claim Your true rest. Help me never to allow myself to be too busy for You. I’m so ashamed of the way I’ve treated You and all of me wants to run and hide but Your word tells me of a love that calls me out of the darkness into the light. Im in awe that You, knowing everything I’ve done still choose to love me and want use me. Im a mess, but I know You already know that. Please turn this messy me into a message so the world may see Your glory. I love You. Thank You for loving me first.
In Jesus name I pray
Amen