“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Ps. 90:17 NIV)
There are seasons when we feel like we’re soaring gracefully through our days. We’re able to accomplish everything that’s needed. We have strong connections with family and friends. We feel God’s hand in our lives, paving the way and opening doors.
There are also seasons when it feels like our bodies are repeatedly slamming into brick walls. Plans fall apart. Relationships feel stilted or fractured. Nothing we do seems to be enough. All God seems to be saying is “No” or, worse, nothing at all.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who wishes they could stay on the smooth and breezy path. When life starts to get rocky, I tend to grow frustrated and weary. My inner perfectionist tells me there’s something wrong with me that’s the cause of all of my tribulations. I forget about the rhythms of life and get impatient with myself when things are not happening on the timeline I think they should. Often, it’s a timeline from someone else’s life, and I believe that my path must match theirs or I’m failing.
I need a constant reminder to be patient with myself. I looked online for reassuring quotes about patience, and the most popular one says, “Be patient with yourself; nothing in nature blooms all year.” The words comforted me. God didn’t create anything to go full-tilt all day, every day. Some animals hibernate. Plants go dormant. Every living thing requires sleep (although I learned that dolphins can sleep half of their brain at a time in order to swim continuously, which is fascinating).
My life circumstances aren’t constant. There are times when I can produce a lot of work and activity and other times when I require more rest and down time. I know this, yet I struggle with allowing myself periods of rest and rejuvenation.
When I turn to the Bible, I’m reminded that I don’t have to work so hard or try to live on someone else’s timeline. God will work out the things he wants me to do in the proper time and manner. What I need to do is draw near to God and allow him to show me what is necessary. Let him determine the rhythm of my days.
Read the rest over at The Glorious Table.
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