“I need more sleep,” I said to myself as I begrudgingly got
out of bed last Saturday morning. Two of our kids had a function that morning,
another wanted to go to a festival, our pantry was screaming for more
groceries, the youngest child wanted to go wherever I did, I promised to take
the girls to the mall weeks prior and my husband and I had a meeting that same
day followed by our date night. I had no quiet time with Jesus and coffee wasn’t
cutting it. By noon, broken sleep plus a tight scheduled equaled exhaustion.
My husband is a very active father and loves to help in
whatever way is needed, but, sometimes, there’s a part of me that wants to be
able to do it all. I want to be Superwoman and look like I have it all together.
Chauffer the kids, clean the house, buy the groceries, work a full-time job and
try to look half-way presentable by
throwing make-up on my face. Because of
our season of life and my need to control, I end up feeling more Supertired and
less like Superwoman.
I didn’t realize it at the time; however, God was and is
teaching me a hard lesson. It’s as if I hear Him saying: “woman, why are you
trying to be everything to everyone?” It’s caused me to ask myself what could
have been done differently and how these occurrences can happen less frequently.
If you find yourself needing to dominate situations and/or feel overwhelmed by
to do lists, let me share what I am currently being taught.
1)
Work
smarter not harder. If someone is there to help us (spouse, friend,
neighbor), let them help. They will probably do it differently than we would
and that’s okay. We aren’t meant to
handle everything alone. Bear one another’s
burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2
2)
Know when
to say no. When we are over
committed, it normally leads to a shorter temper which does no one any good,
including ourselves. It’s not easy to see the look of disappointment on a loved
one’s face, but, when we say no or not right now, it frees us to say yes to
something else. Such as being still.
3)
Rest in Him.
I’m not just talking about laying our heads on a pillow because we all need
sleep to function. The kind of rest that brings peace, joy and refreshment is
found in Christ alone. Take fears, hardships and weariness to Jesus because when we cast our anxieties on Him, he cares
for us. – 1 Peter 5:7
I would love to say I’ve mastered this and it won’t happen
again, but it will. Lord knows I am as stubborn as they come. The thought “I am
woman, hear me roar” will creep in and I will try to whip out the worn, ragged
edged Superwoman cape. That’s when, once
again, God in all His patience, will remind me I don’t need to be the one that
saves the day as He has already done that for me.
Heavenly Father,
You are in control of
me and everyone I care about. Forgive me when I forget that. Help me to release
my burdens to you and teach me how to loosen the reigns. Thank you for going
before me and for being the Superhero that I can’t and don’t have to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
