I had a chat with a friend yesterday. She’s going through a fairly rough patch, the kind of season where it feels like all around you cracks are widening and you don’t know what to do about it. I’m sure we can all relate.
We had a physical meeting planned, but about an hour earlier she texted and asked that we make it Virtual. The joys of technology. So we jumped on the call, and I asked how she was doing. She was doing better, she said. Instead of making the 40 minute commute to our rendezvous point, she’d chosen to spend it playing with her toddler, who she felt she’d not been spending enough time with lately. Mum guilt is real apparently. Anyway, it worked. She was feeling energised and joyful, and grateful that i’d given her the grace to switch up our meeting last minute.
I could relate to that feeling. The most i’ve laughed this week has been in the evenings when I got to spend a few minutes with my wife & kids before the girls go to sleep early. School night routine. Those 20 minutes make up for days filled with tension, anxiety, exasperation and all other emotions that go with adulting and earning a living. They refill my cup, giving me the fuel to wake up and fight all manner of battles in a span of 12 hours all over again.
I’m still going through a Season where it feels like God is helping me separate what matters and what doesn’t matter. He’s making me unpack what I spend most of my time doing (Working) and what I should be spending my time doing (Living). He’s making me question routines and habits that I didn’t think much about in the past, like my inclination to watch repeat episodes of my favourite sitcoms when I feel stressed. He’s challenging me not to pour my every drop into the world, leaving nothing for myself, my loved ones, and most importantly, Him. Lately he’s been pushing me to put in more time into Prayer, Bible Study & Worship. Turns out to live a Godly life, those 10 minutes of prayer in the morning don’t count. It’s a good start, but if you want to elevate yourself to higher levels of spirituality, we are talking extended periods of isolation with him.
The amazing thing is that all these things he’s pushing me to do aren’t affecting my cherished productivity at all. If anything, i’m achieving more while being joyful and fulfilled through it all. It honestly feels like a cheat sheet for life, and i’m loving it.
Try this: For 60 minutes, do nothing but listen to Worship songs and just scroll through your Bible. It’s a gift that keeps on giving, and the best part, IT’S FREE.
