Dear Restless One: Slow Down

In the past few months, my life has been a blur. With the start of summer brought two week-long summer camps, many days spent at my grandparents' pool, and a new job that (by my own volition) filled up every empty space on the calendar. Not to mention that I need food and sleep.

I wrote that last paragraph, intending to begin this very post, back in July or August. That should give you an accurate idea of just how crazy life has gotten.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not complaining! I love busy seasons and being around people, and I absolutely hate being bored or just standing around. Even in the busy seasons, I find myself wanting more, more, more. And although I'm using most of these opportunities to learn how to serve others better... my restlessness is not always as glorifying to God as it should be.

I'm not grateful for all the moments. I'm just grateful for the ones that I think are useful. And that's where I need to stop and think a little bit deeper about how I'm using this one precious life God has given me.

I'm a high school junior now. Most of those reading my posts are around my age and know what it means to have a packed schedule... you've got an essay due and a work shift tomorrow, you have finals to study for, you want time to spend with family and friends because you want them to know that they're still important but you can't seem to pack it all in. And I'm not saying that you need to literally slow down, or remove things from your schedule.

But our hearts can get heavy, too, with everything that we've put on our calendars- sometimes we need to slow down our hearts and remember what truly matters.

Every Moment Can Glorify God

We are such restless creatures. It's easy to get wrapped up in whatever is coming next, specifically if it's a big event or a due date. But God didn't just create us for the "big" or "important" moments, he created us for the little, seemingly insignificant ones too.

Jesus spent 40 days in the desert while he was on earth doing nothing but praying. Why? In all his power and authority on earth, he could easily have used those days to heal the sick, to preach the good news. But he instead chose to glorify God in the silence and the stillness.

We can glorify him every day, too. We can talk to him every day. Even when the only things on our agenda are more schoolwork and cleaning, we can glorify him. Because those things, and that time, they matter to God too.

Every Moment is Made by God

We all know the feeling when someone asks "How are you?" and you respond with, "Well, I've been pretty good, but I'm really stressed and tired." But what if we chose to look up instead to how God has blessed us?

While feelings of fatigue and anxiety are valid, focusing on the daily blessings that God has given us, and the love that he has shown us, is a great way to slow down and glorify him. When we get wrapped up in our busy lives, we walk right past the things that God has provided for us, even if that means the people around us.

I think that if we chose to reflect on God's gifts and promises to us, we would find that many of our big, important events seem a lot less significant in view of eternity, don't you?

Every Moment Shows Where Our Priorities Are

When we choose to glorify God with our whole heart, that is true worship. And in the midst of busy schedules, we can forget where our priorities- where our hearts!- should be placed.

Because when we say we don't have time, we don't actually mean that we don't have time. We mean that it's not important enough.

Friends, we always have time for our Creator. We always have time to reflect, to worship, and to glorify God. And all those wonderful activities that you have going on, although they are good things given to you by God, should never come first.

Dear restless heart, slow down. Take joy in the gifts from the Father. Take joy in the thought of eternity, bought for you by the Son. Because those are the things that truly matter. Every moment, no matter how small, is an opportunity for you to glorify God. Don't waste it.

Soli deo gloria,

Lily May