hello there,
It's been a while... I feel like I start every blog post like that. Clearly blogging is not really my forte, but it's late at night and I can't sleep so for some reason this seemed like the best possible thing for me to do. Therefore, I present to you some of the thoughts currently running through my overly active mind.
After a year and a half filled with some battles won and many battles lost, I greeted this summer with open and eager arms. I wasn't going to be going to school for four months and I had a job I was actually excited about.
There is a time for everything,
And a season for everything under heaven
...
A time to tear down and a time to build,
A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance,
I finally had come to my season of building, laughing and dancing. And now, half way through this season, it has not disappointed. My days have been filled with plenty of laughter and a lot of dancing (quite literally, a lot of dancing). But, this season filled with laughter and dancing has been just that.
Filled.
The amount of evenings that I've spent relaxing at home have been far and few between and my summer weekends spent lying in the sun and attending church with my family have been non existent. Of course, I hold no resentment to my hectic schedule, I rejoice in the joy of the season, yet it is very easy to lose perspective. It's easy to let the demands of life fill up the calendar and suck you in. And why shouldn't we? We have commitments and responsibilities that are our duty to fulfill and on top of that, our human nature desires having fun. Therefore, it can at times seem impossible not to fill up every season.
But, as I said our perspective can get lost in the mayhem. Today I woke up and just knew it was one of those days; I became irritable over minor details, I was over tired, the list was long yet unsubstantial. Regardless of how unsubstantial my list of triggers was it seemed like a big deal.
Cue the big man upstairs who had planned out a day for me filled with humbling reminders.
I am not my circumstances. I am not defined by my scheduled.
I was leading some of the youth I work with through our weekly Alpha course and the week's topic was on sin and the death of Christ. Although the topic was slightly less relevant to my current pondering it was a perfectly placed reminder to refocus my priorities.
Often when we think of burdens we think of negative connotations. But what about looking at burdens that are positive. My busy schedule isn't filled with stressors or sufferings but nevertheless my busyness shifts my perspective. And as a sinner, a shift in perspective often means taking my focus off Him. Whether the busyness is caused by negative situations or positive situations; busyness can take us away from God. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being busy but when I woke up today I was weighed down by a burden of busyness.
Often in struggles we talk about laying our burdens out for Jesus but why don't we lay out the good stuff for him too? I believe that whatever season of our life we are in, whether it be a season for tears or a season for laughter, it is the exact season God wants us to be in. But good or bad it can be too much and that's the freedom Christ offers us. He wants to rejoice with us in our triumphs and comfort us in our sorrows. In Matthew 12:22 Jesus says, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest". In Psalms 55:22 it is written, "cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall". It says 'cast your cares', cares, not sorrows. God wants all of your cares. Good and bad.
So whether you're burdened down by the weight of your sorrows or the weight of a super busy but awesome schedule there is no shame it taking a step back to lay it out for Him.
There's nothing wrong with getting tired of busy and there's no shame is giving all to The One to gave it all for us.
-m.o
p.s. I leave you with an oldie but goody song that was super relevant and applicable to these thoughts
"Lay Em Down" - NEEDTOBREATHE