He who lives with little prayer,
He who seldom reads the Word –
He who seldom looks up to heaven for a fresh influence from on high –
He will be the man whose heart will become cold and barren.
~ C.H. Spurgeon
Photo Credit: db Photography | Demi-Brooke via Compfight cc
This week has been a doozy thus far. Easter weekend saw us at a service on Friday, Saturday, and 2 on Sunday (as I was singing in the choir). Sunday we rested and spent time with family, had a late night watching Frozen, then brought the kids home, only to wake up in the night barking and coughing. Since then it’s been running noses, rough coughs, headaches and night wakes.
Add to that The Boy’s 9th birthday, in which he requested an aquarium cake (which, due to some stubborn and unresponsive icing, kept me up half the night) and nearly threw up on it when he saw it (as he was feeling so sick); multiply it with my trying to get some rest and prepare for a 10K I’m running on Saturday morning – oh, and in the afternoon: I’m hosting an (in) Real Life mini conference with my friend. Yeah. I’m feeling pretty defeated.
These are the times that I struggle with voices. You know the ones I mean. The ones that ebb and flow in and out of your mind, telling you you’re crazy, you’re not good enough, you’re too weak, who do you think you are trying to lead women in fellowship or children in lessons?
The voices that intensify as the fatigue of mothering, the drain of caring for the sick, the drowning of too much piled on our plates yet again takes its toll. The fact that you’ve done it again when you KNOW you can’t handle it only makes the voices chatter louder.
You yelled. You neglected to prepare, to practice. You didn’t do a schedule – again. You blew the budget – again. The bathrooms are still dirty. The laundry is still not folded. What a foolish, unorganized, time-wasting, lazy woman you are.
Stop. Enough. Stop giving ear to the voices. Stop giving ground to the one who has been rendered: DEFEATED.
How do you stop the voices to listen to the One Voice that matters? How do you hear God when you’re weak?
You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Physical Rest
Are you getting enough rest? Are you stopping the clock and getting to bed when you need to? Things can wait, they’ll still be there tomorrow (oh, yes, yes they will :D). Sleep does not wait for anyone. Rest, recharge, and new day and a new perspective do amazing things.
Spiritual Refreshment
Are you in the word and spending time in prayer? I don’t mean an over the shoulder morning prayer, or a 5minute devotional. Though these are good, when you’ve reached the point of being at the end of your rope – and hopefully before you get here! – you need more. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and HE WILL DO THIS (Psalm 37:5). Pray over every thing and every thought, at every moment that it’s happening. Surrender it before you even get to it. Drink deeply of the nourishing bread of God’s truth – others thoughts and ideas on what God’s word says are helpful, but when you’re desperate, you need it straight up from the source.
“Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” (John 20:15)
Be Present
Turn off the phone. Shut down your laptop or ipad. Get outside for fresh air. Play on the floor. Be present with your children and your husband. Take time to enjoy being with them, putting aside everything else that is calling for your attention.
Let others speak truth when everything else is clamouring too loud. Ask for prayer, seek encouragement. Let God speak peace into your heart in connecting with the ones you love.
Stand Firm
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)
When you’re feeling defeated, remember Who has already won and who is really the defeated one. Stand firm in your faith, be strong and fight back! Memorize Scripture, have your Sword at the ready to fight the attacks that will be sure to come. Don’t let Satan get his finger in your cracks and widen them – fill your mind, heart and home with Truth so when you are weak, you can be made strong.
Praying for us as we fight to hear the voice of God and truth!
