Knowing we were visiting family out of state for the long weekend, I had a post ready to go for today. Well, ready to go except for one crucial piece of information to pull it together. Information I thought I’d receive while I was gone. Except I didn’t.
So here I am at the airport waiting to board a flight home and what to write is a complete mystery to me. So I thought I’d try writing the way I write best—by the seat of my pants!
May was a busy, busy month. Not just activity, but people. Lots and lots of people. Family, mostly. And it’s good to be with family. But after a while, Jeff and I, both introverts, wear down. We get weary. And quiet. We only want the comfort of a solitary space and a good book. In fact, on our three hour drive to the airport today, we said very little to one another. No podcast or music, either. Only the occasional GPS directions. And a few necessary words every now and then. Already I’m looking forward to being on the flight and settling into my noise-canceling headphones!
But relationships are important. And the Lord continues to show me that when I lean into those relationships He has given me, even when I am tired and peopled out, He is my strength. He sustains. He even gives me unexpected moments to breathe deep by myself. To gain a tiny bit of fuel to continue on until I can truly hunker down for a little while and recover.
It’s a huge area of trust for another reason, too. For when I am depleted in spirit from too much people time, I have a really hard time finding any energy to create. So I need the down time in order to have productive work time. And now that I am on a deadline, work becomes a higher priority. Yet I don’t want to use work as an excuse to put off time with people I love.
And so the cycle goes, requiring a constant readjustment of time and priorities, of yes and no. Requiring a continual conversation with the Lord about the structure of my days. A continual trusting in Him to make up the time—whether work or people—when the other needs my immediate attention.
Trust God. Love people. Do work. It all comes down to that. Which is, I guess, what the book of Ecclesiastes is all about anyway.
So mystery solved: this post is for me today, but for someone else, too. Today I am choosing to trust in the Lord who loves me, who has provided my work and initiated my relationships.
How about you? Is there a particular area in which you are struggling to trust God right now?
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It’s a hard balance, I so agree, and one that requires prayer and the Spirit’s leading. Praying for you as you travel home—and for your book. Blessings and thanks for sharing today!
Thanks, Tammy! Always a sweet blessing to hear from you! 🙂
Such true words, Anne. I think we all struggle to balance our work, our relationships, and our walk with God. I’m glad I’m not alone in this.
Me, too! I’m so glad the Lord lets us know others struggle right along with us!
I feel exactly the same way. As much as I love my family, I need time alone. When we were taking care of my mother-in-law in our home and had hospice people coming in and out for three years, I felt my quiet sanctuary had been invaded. But then I had to remember that my home is meant as an avenue to serve Him and people. Then COVID happened and everyone had to work from home, so I had less time alone. I’ve had to ask God for wisdom to discern between need and selfishness in wanting to be alone, and to provide those little pockets of quiet and solitude when He knows I most need them. It’s helpful to know that others struggle with this, too.
The struggle between needing solitude, ministering to people, and doing the work I feel God has called me to is a frequent one–but I guess that keeps us dependent on God, ultimately a good thing.
Absolutely true, Barbara! He keeps us dependent on Him and He gives us the grace we need in each moment. My job is to be obedient and trust Him for what I need. Thank you for your example of faithfulness in that!