Are you a prayer warrior or a prayer worrier?
I habitually try my mind at both. How about you?
A few years ago, blogger friend, Selena, encouraged me to choose a word for the year instead of resolutions. I prayed. My word (two years ago)- REST.
REST? Are you sure God? I’ve been battling health issues for several years and the last word I wanted to hear was REST. I want to run and not be weary, walk and not faint. I’ve had to put wider margins on my life then most and I’m still adjusting to the new normal. After the word popped in my head, I wondered if the God was telling me to make my margins even wider.
I pulled out the Concordance and began my study on rest. Turns out, God isn’t asking me to rest ONLY in the physical sense. He is asking me to rest in HIM.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] – Matthew 11:28
If you are a mother of children with attachment issues, FAS, autism, any capital letter syndrome (or are at home all day with children)-you PROBABLY need some extra rest. YOU may be overburdened. YOU may need help carrying your burden. I do.
One of the areas I struggle with daily is slipping into prayer worrier mode. Morning prayer time is great. I recite scripture. I sound holy, confident and inspired. Then I step into reality. The kids are up. The school day begins. I take the burdens of the children on my back. I am weary and heavy laden. When a child has a challenge and I give him a directive- he has a meltdown, I pray worry: O Lord, did I ask too much of him? Could I have approached that differently? Did he have too much sugar yesterday?
Before long, I have the
worry hunch and an Eeyore attitude. I have forgotten what I look like all covered with the Word from morning prayers. REST. Let it go, the Lord is telling me. I cannot control my child’s reaction nor can I predict how any child is going to behave on any given day. There are too many variables; too many things I cannot control. Therein is the truth- I cannot control my circumstances.
And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? Matthew 6:27
I am not adding anything to my children’s spiritual or physical well-being by worrying. REST. The best thing I can do is hand my burdens over and take Jesus’. They are light. He refreshes my soul. I want to be relieved and refreshed. Don’t you? Hand it over. Join me for a REST.
