The struggle is real…
Photo by Declan Sun on Unsplash
Last January, I turned 50.
Everything seemed pretty much the same, no big changes.
Fast forward this past September…and whew!
My body began acting like a foreigner had invaded and completely taken over.
Sleepless nights, anxiety out of nowhere, weird aches and pangs.
Now, this did not necessarily happen out of the blue.
All Summer, I had been on a roller coaster of a scary and frightening ride with my daughter, Presley.
My adrenaline was on over drive…and then some.
She had many, many anxious and fearful days as she healed from the injuries she sustained from her fall at the lake in June.
I had to be strong, we could not both fall apart!
Well, as soon as I sent her off to college, like literally the same week, my body gave out on me.
I was exhausted mentally, physically, and spiritually.
My faith had been at an all time high with all of the miracles we witnessed all Summer. Doctors and nurses confirming that she was a true miracle.
I witnessed with my own eyes the AWESOME MIRACLE of her healing.
Not just her healing, but so many other pieces to this story that could have only been written by God.
Remember the story of Elijah?
He was one of the greatest prophets that ever walked this earth!
He had performed and witnessed miracle after miracle…
However, right after all of these amazing events…like immediately after…
He sat under a juniper tree and asked God to take his life.
What??
“But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:4-7
What happened to all of that faith he had?
He completely fell to the bottom of the barrel.
I can relate.
Recently, one of our bible study teachers taught on being in the wilderness. I hung on her every word, because I realized…I was there. In the wilderness. Just like Elijah had been. Just like Jesus had been when He was tested by the devil.
I left the bible study and realized that God had just spoke so clearly to me through this precious Bible teacher.
Through her teaching, and through the story of Elijah, I realized that I had been neglecting many things for the past few months.
Mostly my health and my rest.
I was so wrapped up in being a care taker to my girl, that I had not nourished my body properly and I had deprived it of much needed rest and proper fuel.
Do you remember the next thing that happens to Elijah?
An angel comes to give him food to eat.
FOOD! And WATER!
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. 1 Kings 19:6-8
Elijah was hungry and thirsty and he did not even know it.
How often are we just depleted because of improper nourishment?
Maybe, we just need rest and food and water for our journey.
Maybe, it is not as complicated as we thought!
As women, we can get so entangled in a huge web of doing too much.
Then, we run to the doctor wondering why in the world we are so exhausted!
Goodness, we can make things complicated, can’t we?
**Raising my hand high!
Today, let’s sit. Rest. Breathe. Eat. Drink.
Let’s nourish our bodies and spirits properly…from the Bread of Life (God’s Word) and physical bread.
Also, when we see a friend in need, running on empty, let’s encourage them to stop, eat, and rest.
Our culture glamorizes the busy life. Celebrities and influencers make it all look so good and easy and fulfilling to spin a million plates in the air, all the while looking like a movie star.
God’s economy is opposite from that.
God never tells us to be so busy that we run ourselves ragged.
In fact, He tells us to “be still and know that He is God.” Psalm 46:10
Friend, I am still working on this as well. It is hard. However, the fruit of stillness and a quiet-er life is fulfilling like no other.
May God guide us every single day as we manage our homes, our families. our work, and all the things.
May we not neglect this temple He has given us to nourish and take care of.
slow learner,
jill
