I watched my lil’ guy walk out the door yesterday for his first day of preschool. There was much excitement in the air as he met his classmates for the very first time. Lunch boxes to be put away. Papers to be completed. After watching him settle into his new surroundings, I slowly slithered out the door.
Surprisingly, for the first time in months, my soul could breathe
With four kids, summer time is busy. Days are filled with sunscreen and bug-spray and play dates and “Hey Mom! Can I have ____________.” Typically, despite the slower pace, I find myself struggling to keep up with laundry and dust mites. My kids are not exactly neat freaks and regardless of the house rules, coke cans and cheez-its find their way out of the kitchen and onto the bedroom floor. Toilets need to be cleaned. Endless mouths need to be fed.
We struggle to set a bedtime routine due to the moonlight beauty. And make no mistake, I love it all! I love the long days of summer. But now that summer is drawing to an end…
I find myself parched and weary
Maybe, like me, you have wrestled to find a minute to yourself. Your kids have consumed your time. As a result, your moments with God have been scant and infrequent. You find yourself longing for some silence. Some time alone to just plain hear. To hear what God has to say to you. To hear what He has in store.
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.” Psalm 37:7
Carving away time with God is of utmost importance and yet, many of us struggle to find the sacred space. Our souls will continue to be weary if we don’t carve out the time. What can you do to make a difference?
- ANALYZE your day and see if there is any wasted time. In Ephesians 5:16, we are instructed to “make the most of every opportunity.” Is there any time in your schedule that could be used more wisely?
- REVISIT your priorities. Maybe over the course of summer, little selfish things crept into your heart and took up residence. Maybe even good things like mani’s and pedi’s and time with friends. But God wants all of us…not just the leftover pieces. See Deuteronomy 13:3
- STOP long enough for God to restore your soul. In the well-known Psalm 23, we see the shepherd lie down in green pastures and walk beside still waters. Pay close attention to these few words. God has made us in a such a way that we need to rest, or “lay down.” We don’t need to always go-go-go. Then, we are instructed to walk beside the still waters. The Living Water is God’s thirst-quenching presence. We are to live beside Him daily and continually…not just every once in a while. Our journey should be continuous with Jesus right by our side. In our thoughts. On our mind.
And if we do…
He restores my soul. Psalm 23:3
Join me today in some soul restoration. Ask God to refill your aching emptiness with more of Him. Seek Him continuously. And then, sit and breath and take Him all in.
How do you carve our sacred space in a busy world?