The afternoon is my most stressful time of day. When the kids come home from school, it seems like all chaos breaks out. It’s worst on days I don’t time to spend with God.
Yes, I admit it. Sometimes I get up running so fast that I don’t realized I missed God until I crawl back into bed weary and frustrated by the events of my day.
The thing is while I’m home alone, I can be so holy. But when the kids come home and everybody suddenly needs me at once, horns pop out knocking my halo to the ground.
Do you ever feel like the whole world needs you at once? Perhaps you feel they are all knocking at your front door? Maybe it’s your office door while you’re trying to escape the demands of a busy day at work. Or, if you’re a mother, maybe it’s your bathroom door. You’re trying to get five minutes alone…but someone is knocking, and the phone is ringing and buzzer on the stove is going off. Apparently, you and I are the only one who know how to answer the phone. In the stress of the moment, my three kids feel like thirty-three. It’s only a matter of time before I BLOW!!!!!
How do you and I keep from losing it?
We do as Jesus did.
It may seem strange to you but Christ’s day wasn’t much different than ours. He got up every day and went to work teaching in the church. He faced distractions and divine appointments. He even knew what it felt like to have the people depending on him and pressing in on him. How did he do it? How did he go through the day without losing it?!
His secret is found in verse Mark 1:35. “Very early the next morning, Jesus got up while it was still dark and went to a scheduled place and prayed.”
Jesus’ time with God wasn’t something He tacked on to an overcrowded schedule. It was His highest priority, and where He discovered God’s priorities for His life. This is where He got renewed, resorted and ready for whatever the day brought. And this is precisely where you and I so often miss out.
Unlike Jesus, I often attempt to live life in my own energy. I think that I can keep giving out without being replenished. Then, wearied by the life, I often become impatient and annoyed with the very ones God puts my life. That is not how I want to live. It’s not how you want to live either. God offers us something better. Time alone with Him.
Just think about it. We have an open invite to throne room of grace every day. Think of what time spent with God does. It empowers us; guards against temptation, it smoothes away our fear, anxieties. Prayer refreshes and lifts our spirits and it allows us know God and his plan for our lives.
When you and take the time to get our orders each day, the distractions will fall away and the important things with take center stage. Not to mention we’ll go to bed minus the guilt and disappointment. Instead, we’ll know we’ve accomplished something great—like nurturing our children without fuss and fear. And that’s a nice close to the day.
Donna says
Micca,
That was a beautiful reminder! This week has been crazy nonstop for me and the kids. (My husband is currently on a missions trip to Romania.) I feel like I have been on the road more than I have been at home. I have had moments with Jesus, but needed much more – because of the crazy week. Thank you for sharing your heart with us!
Blessings to you and your family,
Donna
Faith says
I'm so "there." Still, no one tells you how to get that much needed "morning" time with God when you have a baby that wakes up however early you do and refuses to let you do it, lol. I don't know what to do other than take whatever opportunity I get during this season, enjoy this time with her while I have it, and when the next season comes, embrace it. This means sometimes I get real, deep down, quiet time with God in the morning, sometimes I get a quickly read verse to meditate on, sometimes I get and e-mail devo, sometimes I get 45 min at night, sometimes I get… guilty. Still praying it through, lol. Point is I totally agree and I guess needed reminded today:) Thanks:)
Colleen says
Thanks for the reminder! I only have one child still living at home, but having had a houseful of boys to raise, I wonder how I made it thru! It is still so easy to lose my cool with my sweet son. He is a "tween" and on the verge of being a teen-ager (and it shows!) I pray that God can keep me balanced so that my responses (or lack of them) to things he says will be on an even keel. If I show too much emotion about something, he pulls away. Each child is so different in their needs. When you have a houseful, you feel like you're constantly re-focusing to provide what each one needs. You'd think it would be easier with just one! You're right that getting the day's priorities in order will help. God will really help me do that? Thanks for your honesty and your reminder to be still with God.