Resting in the Lord
Well I didn’t get any revelations “up on the mountains”. Didn’t hear any audible voice booming from Heaven or see any visions. My three days spent away, alone, up in the quiet and solitude of communion and mediation with the Lord, heart-to-heart, were exactly that—quiet, and uninterrupted.
But you know, I realized I could get addicted to that… peace. How often do we stop to “get away from it all”? How often do we sleep undisturbed, not stressing over bills to pay and kids to raise?
Not often.
We get our highs on physical success, the adrenaline rush of deadlines, more work, and inspiration derived from pleasures around us. That’s not bad in itself. But I learned last week that if I continue getting my energy from those types of highs, eventually I reach the lows, and there is nothing substantial to fall back on. I push myself to my own limitations and past that, expecting that this universe will keep revolving and that I’ll be able to keep up with its pace. When in reality I can’t.
I often feel guilty when I sleep, or when I relax, thinking and feeling like there’s so much to be done, so much to attend to, and so many who need help. Time alone and away from everything seems rather… selfish. But last week, I learned that time alone with the Lord is not only necessary, but ESSENTIAL to daily survival. In three days, I forgot all of my stress and simply watched an awesome thunderstorm, took a hike up and down the hills, enjoyed the “Gospel of John” movie, did some artwork, wrote a poem, spent an hour doing absolutely nothing but enjoying the breeze in a hammock, had a late-night chat with a good friend over some home-made cocktails, and had a few naps with God.
I am back home now, feeling refreshed, the burdens a little lighter, and the strength to bear it is not from my own heart, but from His. The load is the same, but He’s helping me carry it this time. Can I trust His shoulders to be strong enough? Do I have enough faith at night to sleep and let Him stay up and do the worrying?
I read this quote last week:
“Our Heavenly Father has designed that we on earth can only pass through a minute, an hour, a day, a week , a month, a year at a time—no more, no less. …Trust that what you have on your plate that is so urgent is in HIS hands, and under HIS control.”
Sometimes I don’t comprehend how He can realistically help me accomplish everything in less time, when I take the time away from the world just to be with Him…but that is what “the peace that passes understanding” is all about, isn’t it?