Reason #174
I rarely watch TV. I used to spend way too many hours a night watching TV, but that has drastically changed over the past many months. Occasionally, I give myseslf the opportunity to sit down and watch a little TV, which is precisely what I did tonight. And after a few minutes of reclining on the couch, I decided I'd just lay down. The next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes to find that I had NOT been watching TV for about an hour and a half.
Exhausted. I don't know why I do this to myself. I feel as if I have tiny little weights pulling on my eyelids right now. I deprive myself of sleep throughout the week, catch up on Saturday and start the vicious cycle over on Sunday night. I think this is the story of most of our lives. I dare say that we don't have enough time in our day to accomplish everything we need to accomplish. We have machines that are supposed to help with that, but then that just gives us more time to cram other things into our busy schedules. So we don't rest. We don't take time for ourselves. We spread ourselves so thin that we can't give our best to one particular thing because we're too tired to do an exceptional job at anything. Then, the things we love and enjoy start to feel like burdens and the last thing we want to do is give more of our time elsewhere because we haven't much time left to give. And so, those minutes are pulled from our sleep time and we're back to square 1.
I find that when I'm sleepy, when I'm tired, the world just looks like a different place. Truthfully, I look like a different person. I can't keep my train of thought, little things seem so much bigger than they really are, and I am not the least bit productive. Most of all, I realize that when I find myself physically exhausted, I am not too far from being spiritually exhausted. I become weaker and feel so much more challenged. And the enemy knows it too and so he begins to whisper little things that turn into plaguing thoughts. Little things that shouldn't even bother me but they do and I start to feel even more worn out trying to fight them off.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28)
And so here's the answer. Here's the key. Don't be too sleepy, too exhausted, to go to Him. In fact, maybe when we are most tired, that's exactly where we need to be, resting with Him. And maybe we take a cue from Jesus and we learn to prioritize, manage our lives a little better. Sometimes we have to lay things down, give things up because really, if you can't give it your best, then maybe it's not the best way to spend your God-given time. And maybe the burdens we feel we are bearing only feel that way because we're bearing the wrong ones. Maybe, if we bear what He asks us to, rather than involving ourselves in everything we'd like to, our spent time doesn't seem so burdensome anymore.
So I go to Him, tired and weary, and I desire rest. Really, I desire to learn to rest. Because this exhausted body, sleepy spirit and worn out mind sure could use it. And I'm grateful that when I go to Him, He will give me all the rest I need.
Clean sheets, a comfy bed and a dark, quite night. I think I hear the call for rest and it's about that time to answer...
#174 - Comfy beds and restful nights.
"...for God gives rest to his loved ones." - Psalm 127:2
Exhausted. I don't know why I do this to myself. I feel as if I have tiny little weights pulling on my eyelids right now. I deprive myself of sleep throughout the week, catch up on Saturday and start the vicious cycle over on Sunday night. I think this is the story of most of our lives. I dare say that we don't have enough time in our day to accomplish everything we need to accomplish. We have machines that are supposed to help with that, but then that just gives us more time to cram other things into our busy schedules. So we don't rest. We don't take time for ourselves. We spread ourselves so thin that we can't give our best to one particular thing because we're too tired to do an exceptional job at anything. Then, the things we love and enjoy start to feel like burdens and the last thing we want to do is give more of our time elsewhere because we haven't much time left to give. And so, those minutes are pulled from our sleep time and we're back to square 1.
I find that when I'm sleepy, when I'm tired, the world just looks like a different place. Truthfully, I look like a different person. I can't keep my train of thought, little things seem so much bigger than they really are, and I am not the least bit productive. Most of all, I realize that when I find myself physically exhausted, I am not too far from being spiritually exhausted. I become weaker and feel so much more challenged. And the enemy knows it too and so he begins to whisper little things that turn into plaguing thoughts. Little things that shouldn't even bother me but they do and I start to feel even more worn out trying to fight them off.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28)
And so here's the answer. Here's the key. Don't be too sleepy, too exhausted, to go to Him. In fact, maybe when we are most tired, that's exactly where we need to be, resting with Him. And maybe we take a cue from Jesus and we learn to prioritize, manage our lives a little better. Sometimes we have to lay things down, give things up because really, if you can't give it your best, then maybe it's not the best way to spend your God-given time. And maybe the burdens we feel we are bearing only feel that way because we're bearing the wrong ones. Maybe, if we bear what He asks us to, rather than involving ourselves in everything we'd like to, our spent time doesn't seem so burdensome anymore.
So I go to Him, tired and weary, and I desire rest. Really, I desire to learn to rest. Because this exhausted body, sleepy spirit and worn out mind sure could use it. And I'm grateful that when I go to Him, He will give me all the rest I need.
Clean sheets, a comfy bed and a dark, quite night. I think I hear the call for rest and it's about that time to answer...
#174 - Comfy beds and restful nights.
"...for God gives rest to his loved ones." - Psalm 127:2