This week I was listening to the radio when one of the artists began talking about God's purpose for our days here on Earth. He said how many of us are running through life at this incredible pace. He continued to share how many people are living for the day to be over, so they can get to the next day, or the next weekend, or the next vacation. Parents are waiting for their children to get older, so they can do life differently. Many parents, and even students, are wishing away the school year; dreaming of summer, when things will become slower. People are working jobs, with hopes of finding the next better one. Others are waiting for their next big accomplishment; a new house, a new car, a new whatever the "it" thing is for them.
God did not intend for our lives to be this hurried rush. He gives us our days to use for His glory and His purpose. I believe He wants us to soak Him in and to take time for relationships with others. He commands us to love others. We can't fully love others if we aren't slowing down enough to appreciate "the now". We aren't ever completely enjoying our days, if we are rushing on to the next one.
As I listened to this artist speak, I knew I had been guilty of this mindset myself. Many times my husband has been gone on deployments or overseas for work, and I counted the days down until he returned. The past few weeks have been filled with obstacles in our home. We encountered a broken dryer, a broken fridge, a broken air unit, a flooded bathroom, and a tree falling in our driveway, which had to be removed after smashing our neighbor's car. During these weeks, I let the stress add up, and my days became a blur. I went from one day to the next, just surviving.
I have made a conscious effort the past few years to really live a slower pace of life. We home school our children and spend a lot of quality time as a family. We love the outdoors and you can often find us relaxing and enjoying God's beauty around us. We limit our outside activities and commitments and try to appreciate each day. I realized as I thought back on the past month, that I am great at embracing today, until today, goes off course. It is then that I often, let the distractions affect my mood and my focus. God tells us in Psalm 46: 10 to "be still, and know I am God."
He doesn't want us to do life on our own. We have to sit still and delight in today for Him. We need to do this so we can hear Him and to be assured that He has our life in His hands. He wants us to come to Him and leave our worries, our problems, our dreams and desires all at His feet. As we do this, we can better enjoy the life we have today, just as it is.
This week I have slowly felt our normal routine take hold again. I have spent time being still and it feels exceedingly better than over tired, stressed and empty. These moments of stillness are always good for my soul.
One night I watched my youngest while she played with one of her cousins. The big siblings were off at church and these two were enjoying the beautiful summer like evening. I now look at these images and can't help but think how children really embrace today for all it is. They live in the moment and soak up the glory of now. It is a beautiful thing.
Being still, being quiet, listening, and waiting. None of these things come naturally for me. My mind seems wired to think ahead, to plan, to talk. But the older I get the more I realize how much I need to take time for all of these things. I need them to hear, to know, and to feel God's presence around me.
