~By: Lindsey Whitmore~
While preparing this piece, I asked the Lord to guide my words so that He speaks through them. He knows my mind has been on overdrive, leaving no room for mediation on His Word in the proper sense. I have been so busy about the Father's business that I have forgotten whose business it is! Our Father, God, wants us to walk with Him, not run ahead or fall behind. His pace is perfect. I have momentarily forgotten that I am just His vessel in a dance whose pulse and measure He is meant to set. When these two things are in balance, there is harmony.
Somewhere, I have made a half-step and allowed outside forces to speed up the tempo, which has my feet twisted. There are so many good causes, good deeds, and good efforts, but only a few are meant to be chosen as His excellence for our lives. I have read The Best Yes. I have led Bible studies on books like Crazy Busy and Boundaries, yet the enemy is so sly in that we don’t even know we have slipped off God's beat and lost count in our dance with Him. We don’t even realize that we have gone about dancing solo.
Can you relate to this?
Thankfully, Holy Spirit promises to always be with us, and, for those who listen to His voice, we are able to get back in step more quickly than most. Proverbs 15:32 states, “Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.” Some signs to look for are feeling run down, maybe even irritable. Your ‘joy’ feels stifled. You find yourself hitting snooze repeatedly before actually rising because you already feel defeated by the ‘tasks’ or ‘ministry’ that are on your plate. God does not want us to live this way. The message Bible speaks to these signs clearly in Matthew 11:28-30: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
We have to remember that God is our strength, our shield, and our song. (Proverbs 28:7-8) Everything we do is given to us by God, for God. We must allow Ephesians 2:10 to remind us, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Jesus showed us through His life the importance of rest and staying in step with His Father. Holy Spirit was sent to help us, but we must allow this help! As it is written in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
If this is speaking to you today, please take a moment to breathe in while remembering Who is truly in charge. Then slowly breathe out, while asking for forgiveness for taking the lead in your dance with the Lord, and ask Him to guide you again. As it is written in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
We encourage you to connect with us through our prayer request page on our website. We would love to partner with you in this way. Neither does the Lord leave you, but He also sends others to walk with you in every new season.
“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8
