Navigating life through a pandemic has felt a little like walking through a proverbial minefield. And doing it as a mom who works to be intentional with my children—well, that’s been a real head-scratcher.
While I still have an idea of where I am trying to go, nothing is predictable anymore. Pivot, stop, start, shut down, hold up . . . it’s exhausting. It sometimes feels impossible. And it probably is. At least for us, as humans.
We can feel like we are running on empty, lost in the complexity of an ever-changing landscape, or even disconnected from the people we know we are called to. While there is a sliver of truth in the way we “feel,” there is a larger truth that we can uncover when we rest in him.
Abundant lives also rest
Please don’t misunderstand my use of the word rest here—it’s not the kind of rest where we are kicking back, relaxing, and regenerating.
That kind of rest is critical to our well-being, and, as women, we must make it a priority to do that, even amid the busyness. It’s vital to our health—spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally—so it must become a priority.
For some of us, resting is about “doing” something. For others, it’s about “not doing.” Either way, we should spend enough time thinking about who we are as individuals to understand what we need to lead the healthiest, most fulfilling lives—the kind of abundant lives that are available to us as daughters of the King.
Four things to remember
There is, however, another kind of “resting in him.” This is the kind that is possible even when we are running one hundred miles per hour—the kind we can find in the middle of a crazy-busy season that requires complete dependence on the Father and a submission to him as our ultimate authority.
As we ramp our lives back up to some kind of “normal,” there are some things we need to remember:
1. There is only so much we can do.
2. Our children belong to the Father, so they are his to protect and provide for. Our responsibility in this is obedience to him.
3. The relationships we are blessed with are far more important than any “goals” we have—pay attention to them.
4. We have everything we need to do everything we need to do.
Reflect peace to others
Let’s choose to look at what we already have, considering the unique qualities of our individual lives and families, and find ways to create deep and rich experiences.
What do our people need? How do we encourage them during this crazy time where nothing is consistent? If we are running around, crazy and frenetic, there’s a chance we are making them feel that way, too.
When we rest in the Father, knowing that no one loves us like he does, and trusting that he will make a way, we can reflect that peace that passes understanding to those around us.
My husband calls this “sitting down inside ourselves.” It’s about tapping the brakes, taking a deep breath, and truly asking the Father to reset our priorities and remind us of who we are.
We are distracted—his plan remains
Our thought life can’t always be trusted. We are easily distracted, easily blown off course at times, and we can lose sight of what we are truly called to.
Resting in him allows us to keep moving forward even when the world feels like it’s going sideways. His goals haven’t changed. His plan remains. His purposes for our lives haven’t shifted.
Our God is the Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end.
We are his children, created to bring glory and honor to his name and to have fellowship with him. Our role as parents gives us the unique opportunity to model submission and trust and to guide our children in practices that will train them to rest in him, knowing there’s simply nothing else out there that can bring the peace, joy, and confidence that our Savior provides.
