I've been rewriting and deleting posts for the last three days, feeling like what I'm attempting to communicate is jammed under my fingernails and won't come out. There's no fast track to becoming a better writer, speaker, singer, mentor, mother. They all take time and practice. Lots of time. Lots of practice.
I'm one of those girls that wants to accomplish all my dreams and whims right now. Like, right now right now. I think with all the "Yolo-ing" I see, feel, hear around me, I've fallen into a creativity stall out on the road to overwhelm.
I want to Yolo.
In fact, my comfort zone is yolo-ing. I love whimsical adventures and impromptu cupcake shop dreams. I love packing the car and heading to Sunny San Diego overnight. I love buying way too many art supplies with dreams of painting something every morning by my big open window. I love starting a worship coaching business in my home while learning how to be a mom, and planting a church with my husband in the big bad cement jungle of Los Angeles.
In fact, my comfort zone is yolo-ing. I love whimsical adventures and impromptu cupcake shop dreams. I love packing the car and heading to Sunny San Diego overnight. I love buying way too many art supplies with dreams of painting something every morning by my big open window. I love starting a worship coaching business in my home while learning how to be a mom, and planting a church with my husband in the big bad cement jungle of Los Angeles.
That's my comfort zone. Always moving, always creating.
What's outside of my comfort zone is reduction. Slowing down makes me nervous; like I didn't utilize that day to its fullest capacity. I wasted time. I wasted energy.
I don't view rest as a way to pace myself; to prevent burn out or burn down. I see it as lazy and unuseful. I could have done one more load of laundry; I need to email those people back; I really should mop the floors. But all I really want to do is sleep, watch a show, or take a walk.
I know these feelings aren't based on truth. I know resting is good. It's natural and quite biblical. I know the lack of it causes weariness and anxiety. I know some seasons are meant to be lived in big movement, while other seasons are meant to cease such movement. (Tweet that.) Or at least slow down a little.
Jesus knew without rest, His disciples were ineffective (Mark 6:31, Matthew 26:45)
Jesus knew without rest, He was ineffective. (Matthew 8:24, 14:13, Mark 6:31-32, 46)
In the midst of a "busy life," even Jesus knew rest was necessary. (Click to tweet) The Son of God, fully man and fully God, saw it fit to stop. Breathe. Nourish. Rest.
No life is meant to live hurried and bustled and crowded. Life is meant to be lived, sweetly and freely, affecting change in the hearts, minds, and souls of the people around us. And we can't do that if we're burnt or burdened.
If the God Man identified a need in His own life, and the life of His closest friends, to stop wheels from spinning, well then I can certainly take time to do the same. Even if it is far out of my comfort zone.
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What is outside of your comfort zone?
Are you a naturally restful person? Or are you uneasy with resting like me?
Let's chat in the comment section.
photo via buttercupink
