CRAZY MAKERS AND STRESSFUL DAYS… Come apart and rest before you come apart

Have you ever felt like if you heard the phone ring one more time, if you didn’t have five minutes of quiet time, or if you didn’t get a much needed vacation that you were going to come unglued or lose it? Lose what? Have you ever felt like screaming? Come on now! If you’re feeling like you are about to come unglued, that is a clue to unplug for rest and refreshing. 

You may own your own business, work from home, spend endless hours on flights, to dashing off to important business meetings, but no matter what you do in life, you are still highly valuable to God first and foremost. What you do is not who you are—and your body needs rest.

Women spend lots of time pouring out, pouring ourselves into others, while doing seven or eight things at once. One minute you are at the hospital bedside of someone you love, to rearranging your calendar to see people that matter to you. Life is full of unexpected things that can happen to anyone—both men and women alike.  

I was recently on the phone with someone and my husband called from the grocery store several times, the doorbell starting ringing and it was a friend standing there with a homemade cake, our dog (Beau) was barking, Mother was telling me what kind of cereal she needed from the grocery, and the other phone starting ringing. Juggling a variety of responsibilities can be a strain.

Life can get hectic and by the time the day is gone, you can feel exhausted while falling into bed about midnight with a neck ache. Does anybody understand what I am talking about? Or, what if you’ve finally made it to bed, the kids are sound asleep, your husband is still awake and he asks you if you are tired at midnight. What about the scenario of being asleep and the sound of the family dog throwing up that wakes you at 2 AM in the morning and you never go back to sleep. These are real days.

While women are entrepreneurs to stay-at-home moms, many juggle responsibilities that in any ordinary day can be exhausting. Life is full of stressors and times of great enjoyment. You may be walking on the beach, fishing with your family on a camping trip, walking on the red carpet at a resort, nursing a sick baby back to health, or dealing with cancer treatments. Life has lots of surprises and challenges—and you need to know how to respond to them all. You must choose to respond rather than reacting by following your emotions that can send your life going downhill at warp speed. 

It is vital that you reflect, remember, and take time to replenish yourself in the midst of days like these. You must stand back, take a deep breath and stop allowing everything around you to control you. 

You don’t have to lose anything, or even come unglued. You can run to Jesus and find rest in Him. Take time to open the pages of your Bible and choose an additional quiet time, even if it has to be in the restroom or in the bathtub. 

With kids knocking on the doors of young mothers, to the phone ringing and work to be done, all need rest and refreshing. Jesus calls us not only to serve but also to rest. You must choose to stop and allow God to fill you with His love and power in order that you can pour into your family, your work, and your ministry. 

Jesus is calling you to come away to a quiet place—a time of rest, even while there are endless items on your THINGS TO DO list. He invites you to a quiet place of rest.

Think about what that looks like in your life. Do you take time for yourself to spend at the feet of Jesus, basking in His Presence, and finding solace in His Word? You may think you can miss quiet time, but by the end of the day it may begin to unravel. Take time to spend with God. Take time to meet a friend for a cup of coffee or lunch. Take time for yourself—away from the chaos of life. 

“The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.” (Mark 6:30-31 NLT).

You must take time for yourself with the Lord—in a quiet place. If you don’t choose to come apart to spend time with Him, you may feel like you are coming apart. 

How will you respond?

DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI

Books by Deborah Starczewski:

GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed, and Know Your Purpose)

 A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days at the Mercy Seat) 

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?)

All books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.; visit www.starministriesinc.com for additional information and resources.