I know I’m not the only person who feels like there’s too much to do and not enough hours in the day. When I go to bed at night, my to-do list hasn’t changed much (some days) and I feel like a failure because what I did accomplish wasn’t really enjoyed. I was too busy moving to the next task.
I don’t wear that schedule with honor; in fact, this year I’ve realized how living life at full throttle isn’t healthy – spiritually, physically, emotionally, or relationally. I had a health scare last November and it made me realize I need to slow down and start taking care of myself if I’m going to be able to accomplish the things for God that are on my list.
Spiritually I realized if I don’t take the time to fill up with Him, concentrated time with my Father, then I have nothing left to pour out into others. And when I’m left stressed out, exhausted and inevitably crabby, what kind of a testimony am I sharing with those around me? Ouch – I don’t even want to be around me, so it’s not a good one!
Emotionally when I’m depleted (lack of sleep, lack of eating healthy or exercising regularly), my emotions are all over the place. I’m crying one minute, laughing the next, and completely confused in between. In order to balance out my hormones and live from a state of emotional health, I need to slow down.
Relationally is where a person can suffer the most. I want to enjoy my husband and my children. I want to live life with them, serve them through cooking healthy meals, doing laundry, cleaning (okay, maybe not cleaning) and being there for quality and quantity time. When my schedule is so tight, I miss those spur-of-the-moment opportunities that I’ll never get back.
I asked God (again) what I can take off my plate so it’s more manageable. Then I waited because I knew He would answer, in His time, in His way. Come back next time to find out how exactly He answered. It wasn’t in the way I expected.
© Cheri Swalwell 2021