I’m not sure about you but I’ve developed a severe case of Cabin Fever this week. I want to go somewhere and do something. Restless.
In addition to too much Instagram, I’ve resorted to entertaining myself by doing handstands on the walls, sitting upside down on the couch, and picking all the dandelions in our yard — like over 100 of them (I know they’re weeds but they make me happy). Don’t worry, I’ve also been finding a balance of productivity with some fun projects coming up ;-).
It got me thinking. Restlessness is not always a bad thing. Spiritually, the sense that there’s something better or the grass is greener is part of the eternal call of God on our hearts. When we’re spiritually restless, it could be God asking us to take a step of obedience in faith or it could be a sign of conviction that a sin pattern needs to be addressed.
Yet, there’s another kind of restlessness that comes from discontentment. Sometimes it manifests itself physically — like how I told Caleb that I had a strong urge to climb a tree this week but alas, there are no good climbing trees in our vicinity. Or sometimes it’s more inward — like how anxiety creeps in and we try to fill the void by flitting from distraction to distraction.
Regardless, perhaps God is trying to get our attention.
A song that really encouraged me this week is Constant by Charlie Hall. It talks about Jesus’ faithfulness to lead us into beautiful places. It reminds me of Psalm 16 verse 6 “The lines boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance”
Or Psalm 23 how the Good Shepherd leads us by still water and makes us lie down in green pastures.
Maybe in the restlessness, He’s calling us to rest. Maybe He’s asking us to be still and to choose to see the pleasant place, to which He’s called us.
I know for some of us, it’s probably hard to see the pleasant places. With so much uncertainty and the lack of physical community, our world is full of anxiety. Financial unknowns, the seeming inability to plan anything (something this planner is learning to release), the feeling that maybe we got jipped on experiencing a graduation or wedding like we wanted to. It’s easy to be discontent and to try to “fix” it through our own efforts. But that just leads us to gripping tighter to things we weren’t meant to control.
Perhaps He’s asking us to open our hands and see the beautiful place He’s brought us to in the midst of the chaos.
Maybe He wants us to consider the bigger picture. He is our Provider. He is our Constant. He is our Prince of Peace. He is our satisfaction.
We’re given a limited time on this planet. Are we going to spend it in a pity party or are we going to choose to see the beautiful places Jesus has led us to? Are we going to be discontent with the circumstances or see them as opportunities to be conduits of hope and peace? Are we going to waste this time by worrying or are we going to leverage it to point people to Jesus?
Jesus, be our peace and comfort. Reassure us that we are exactly where you need us to be (even if that’s on our couch) and show us how to steward this time well. Be our rest even as we might be restless. We love you!
Rebekah Diaddigo 