Have you ever tried to spend one still minute with God? Not praying or talking but simply silent and still with Him. I tried this morning. Alone in my hotel room, it should have been easy. But it wasn’t. It was unsettlingly hard. All of the thoughts I wanted to share with Him. I was that kid. The one on pins and needles, ready to explode three seconds into 1-2-3 Quiet & Still. I’m pretty sure I didn’t last much longer than that before attempting to start over again in my stillness with God. And again.

But that’s the amazing thing about God. His Grace starts over again and again. And again.

Over the last few weeks, I feel like God has gently been nudging me to “Rest.” I’m not sure why there is so much guilt associated with resting. Embarassingly, I’ve been one to judge and envy stay-at-home mama friends or someday parent friends who take these things called “siestas” or “naps” while their toddlers slumber or just because they’re tired. Wth?? And it makes no sense at all for me to have those judgy feelings since I’m exhausted after a weekend morning at home with my three Angels. Ex.haus.ted. It also makes no sense since my Father God rested, too, on the seventh day of creation. Not that one can quite compare a morning at home with the kids and the creation of our universe, but I digress. He doesn’t need rest. He just doesn’t. But that He would model resting to show us that resting was His will. His plan. His gift.

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” Genesis 2:2

Resting with butter coffee

With the constant distraction of society, social media, work and all the voices in my head shouting about what needs to be done, what needs to be cooked, cleaned, bought, prepared, dropped off, picked up, fixed, etc, etc, etc. Rest tends to be my last priority- which doesn’t really make it a priority at all, does it? But Daddy God is relentless, isn’t He? Rest…He whispers. A deeply soulful converation shared on the way to a meeting this week breathed “Rest” into me. Again, He whispered “Rest” in my Bible Study on She Reads Truth (which I can’t recommend enough!). And as I sit on the plane heading home, I “rest” in between two experienced women- one of which marvels at the couple next to us on their iPads. “Look at those things! They’re huge! They’re like  blackboards.” A perfect moment to be still and allow my Father to do His perfect work in me- Rest.

“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

Ahhhh. Daddy. Father God, I hear you. I feel you. Thank you, Lord, for your unrelentless love. Thank you for your gentle and perfect nudges. For the perfect conversations inspired by your Word and your Will. Thank you God for rest. Renewal. Restoration. Resolution. A moment to be still with You. Please forgive me Jesus for not resting more. For not resting daily. For not resting weekly or even monthly. Please take away all feelings of guilt associated with your rest. Please quiet my mind, still my heart, and close my eyes to the world around me. Help me to lean into You. To rest in you. I love you! I need you! I drink you into my heart and soul. Amen.

So in this pererct moment on the plane, I tried again. Funny, this time I didn’t want to leave. The voices and images of distraction began again and I quickly (and firmly) directed them to “Get out.” They did. Then I leaned. I leaned long. And deep.  And I didn’t want to leave. I was sitting in the B seat, squished as one is sitting in the B seat, perfectly nestled against Jesus. More content than I’ve known, possibly ever. Finding God in a perfectly imperfect moment of my day.

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30