These last few weeks I have been hearing from women…women that are exhausted, angry and burned out. I know what that feels like. It’s a huge burden to bear, and for so many there doesn’t seem to be an answer.
It’s even too tiring to pursue Jesus and His peace. Sitting in church, instead of soaking and absorbing, we watch what others are doing, what they’re wearing, who is sitting with who…and only hear bits and pieces of what is going on. Even then, what we hear doesn’t seem to apply to us and our exhausted minds. When something does hit the spot, we feel a little tingle of hope…and decide to change our patterns and get closer to God and read His word.
We get home and forget everything we learned in just a few short minutes.
Too much happening to even think about getting our spiritual lives into a better place.
What can we do?
What does it mean to sit at the feet of Jesus? Can we even focus for more than 10 seconds without thinking about the “to do” list?
I had the privilege of going to an evening class once a week for the last few months. In this class we learned how to hear the voice of Jesus so we could be effective when we pray for others. Learning to hear His voice was easier than I thought. I fought against the whole thing at first. I am skeptical and quite often a left brain thinker…but what was there to lose? Let’s give it a whirl, I have no pride left to lose! Right?
It became quickly apparent that His voice didn’t sound like mine! It was full of love and peace and joy. Mine hardly ever was.
His first message to me was, “Just rest in me, in my peace, and in my love. Surrender, see me, hear me, worship me, rest in me, relax, love, laugh, and seek joy in the everyday. See the beauty of creation, and worship me through creation. Trust me. Let go of your need to control. Life will get easier and more fulfilling when you let me take over. Follow my voice. Hear my spirit. You know my voice, and stop ignoring it. Stop arguing with me, and stop trying to reason with me. I am love, not reason. My ways are not your ways. A life following me will bring you great joy, happiness and peace.” etc….
The reason I am sharing part of this one message here is because I realized that this is one that many of us need to hear. We need to relinquish control and let it all go.
How does one get to this place? Where they just let go? For me it was sheer desperation. I needed peace and joy. There was only one real source for that. I had to be willing to do whatever it took to get that peace, and giving up pride was the first step. Sobbing for hours in front of other people was a good start. 🙂 Writing about my failings and issues has put me out there….in a place where I have many others keeping me accountable to my words. (yay)
How desperate are you?
What does it take?
How much more can you handle on your own????
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV) Yes, repeated for effect. God’s word needs to be absorbed through repetition…so we understand it.
His love and peace is worth pursuing at all cost….