Usually it is around this time that I realize every plate is full except for the plate I use to dine with Jesus. I also realize that Jesus has been tugging at my heart saying, “I can help with all that, you know.” At some point, I finally see that to stop and be with Jesus is the only antidote to the busyness and floundering I’ve brought upon myself. I don’t know how many times I am going to have to learn this lesson before it sticks! So I reprioritize and my perspective changes. I spend time reading a few verses of the Bible before breakfast. I pray on my way to work. And I set three things for the top of my list to complete. I still don’t always get everything off my plate, but I see things much differently.
When I am in charge of what I need to do, feeling overwhelmed is a part of the process. When Jesus is in charge of what I need to accomplish, I see the trees and the forest. I see the details in my work that I enjoy, instead of the tedium and boredom that bring me down. When I take the time to include Jesus, my days go smoother and I enjoy a multitude of things to tackle like a game to win. We are a formidable team!
Sometimes I feel Jesus inviting me to even more slowing down. For a while, this looked like me taking retreats twice a year. Just for a day. Usually, I took a drive to the ocean where I could put my feet in the sand and hear the power of the waves. It is easy to find God at the ocean. I miss that now that I don’t live 45 minutes away from the ocean. But I am pledging to get away from this desert heat where I now live, and go to the mountains where I can spend some time alone with God. Time to dine with Jesus, time to talk to him about how much I love him and how I got off track once again. Then a time to renew my heart.
Buckling under the load--can you relate? What helps you? Continue the conversation in the comments, below.
Chelle MillerChelle Miller, MA, is a parenting educator at the University of Nevada Extension, though her first love is spiritual formation. She graduated in 2022 from Portland Seminary with a Masters in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship. She is also a spiritual director and gained her certificate from the Renewing Life Center of Las Vegas. Her experience in small group development and building community has shaped her views on God’s love. Chelle and her husband of over 43 years, Dave, are based in Henderson, Nevada, and have one grown son. She loves travel, reading, and movies. Chelle is a member of the Eden Spiritual Care board, a spiritual director at Eden Spiritual Care, and an Eden Spiritual Care class instructor. |