I’m the type of person who always likes to be busy. I need to keep moving, keep doing, keep planning or plotting and scheming of the next project. While that can be a good trait and keep me motivated it has one major drawback; it prevents me from living in the moment. The here & now. After all, that’s all Jesus said we can count on . And that’s also why it’s so important to obey the promptings of His Spirit -because there might not be that tomorrow. Not necessarily that He will return tomorrow but that the opportunities to do what He is asking may not be there. On Monday morning, after awaking from a fairly decent sleep I said, “God, I have my to do list but what would you have me do?” Almost immediately it was on my heart to go over to a neighbour’s for coffee. Now, Thursday evening, it remains undone. It has been on my heart & in my mind all week. Now why haven’t I done it? Not sure, the busyness I guess. Have to clean house, have to spend good time with kids. Sounds lame to me though. I mean, if the LORD Almighty puts something on my heart & keeps it there surely that must mean He has a plan for things that I simply need to trust in & be obedient. How can I say I devote my life to Christ if I am so busy planning things, projects, extra-curriculars for the kids, etc., etc., that I don’t have the time or energy to be open to His plans? I mean, what if He has all this stuff I could be doing except I am too busy being busy & I drown it out? I miss out on life; true, spirit-led abundant life. In light of eternity does it matter so much if my kids are in piano, skating, gymnastics or whatever the choice is? I matters more that a) I invest in people’s lives & what His plan is & b) that I show & instil in my kids the value of people, of stillness, of showing them that His plans are so exciting if we only let Him work through us!
Anyways, I digress. I say the art of doing nothing because I think to a point it’s something that needs to be developed....a discipline of sorts. I know that even when I rest I have something going on in the back burner of my mind....I think it’s a problem a lot of women have. It’s like the saying men have waffle boxes of thought & women’s are like spaghetti. Men have a waffle box my husband & I call the “nothing box.” I am very pleased to say that this weekend when camping I found my “nothing strand!” It started nowhere and ended there as well. I laid on a sleeping bag by a creek when camping & stared at the sky & trees & who cares? The point was that I truly was thinking about nothing. It was like getting 8 hours of solid, deep sleep. I was able to come back to reality and was much happier for it. Our campsite was still dirty, the tent disorganized & dishes still in need of washing, but that was ok.
I realize that I can’t do that every day, but still, I need to be more intentional about just relaxing & enjoying the presence of the One who made me without feeling like I have something to do when I am done.
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| If it were only that easy... |
