while it may seem counterproductive, i feel like the first step in beginning to "dig deeper" in all areas of my life, is to slow down and rest. not just rest for my tired body, but rest for my weary soul as well. i read in my bible this morning about david and how he calmed his soul and found rest in the Lord. in order to find rest in the Lord, he had to make sure that he was depending only on God for the nourishment that his soul needed. (psalm 42:5).
and it struck me that there are SO many (too many) times that i rely on other sources to "feed" my soul. so often i seek fulfillment in the things of this world... material possessions, recognition from others, my marriage, my children. and while these things are all wonderful blessings, i cannot trust them to nourish my soul. they may bring me joy and offer satisfaction, but it will be fleeting because they are, after all, things of this world. i must depend on the Lord to fill me up, because He's the only one that can truly sustain me and provide rest for my soul.
psalm 131:2 says, "No, right now I am calm and quiet, like a child after nursing, content in it's mother's arms." when i read this, i was given such a clear picture of what true rest in the Lord should look like. isn't it amazing how He can meet us right where we are? it never ceases to amaze me that here i am in the trenches of motherhood and He can lead me to a verse that practically parallels my life. how cool is that?!
jeffrey and i would always laugh after laney would nurse at night, because it would literally knock her out. it wouldn't take long before her eyes would start to droop and she would relax in my arms. sometimes we'd even raise her little arm up above her head just to let it go and laugh when it immediately dropped back down like a limp noodle. baby girl was zonked. and she never budged. not when i'd stand up to walk her to her room, not when i'd turn on her sound machine. and not when i'd lie her down in her bed. she remained peacefully asleep the entire time.
that my friends, is true rest. and that is what He longs for me to do. just like laney depended fully on me for her nourishment, i need to rely on the Lord. just like laney knew that she had everything she needed in me, i need to trust in Him for everything i need. Just like laney felt content to rest in my arms despite any outside distractions, i need to be content to rest in Him and not let the things of this world distract me. in order to fully embrace this season of "digging deeper" i pray that i can take a lesson from laney. i long to be calm and quiet, content in my Father's arms.
"no, right now I am calm and quiet, like a child after nursing, content in it's mother's arms."
psalm 131:2
