Last week as I was leading a ministry group, I looked out over a group of weary women. I recognized that look; ears listening, but not hearing; eyes seeing but not taking anything in. It is the look of women who are overwhelmed with spinning plates, packed schedules and responsibilities. I recognize the look because I was once one of them.
But God….
He got ahold of me when I found myself burned out and stressed out. During that season, I attended a conference and the speaker, a Pastor’s wife, said that she too had been living under the weight of kids, job and ministry, going through the motions but always exhausted. She took some things off her plate for a season and found her peace once again. I came home and sat with the Lord one morning, asking Him if I needed to do the same. In my quiet time, I closed my eyes and imagined a large plate filled with my responsibilities and sensed the Lord telling me to take one thing off my plate every day until the plate was empty. At the time, I thought it was just an exercise in mentally taking stock of my life, but it ended up being so much more.
For two weeks, every day I took something off of my imaginary plate, and at the end I was aware that only a gold plate remained. The Lord whispered this verse into my heart:
Seek my kingdom and my righteousness first and all things will be added. (Matthew 6:33)
I sensed the Lord telling me that He IS the gold plate; that seeking Him above all else was the beginning of my new life in Him, where the burden would be easy and the yoke light. One by one, I placed each responsibility back onto the imaginary plate, and from that point on in my life, I chose to seek the Lord first and trust Him with my busy life.
But even so, life has a way of creeping up on you with plates once again spinning endlessly, and the temptation to keep going faster always taunting.
But God…
When the waves start up again, listen…
Peace be still. Seek me first. Hand me your burdens.
The Chaplain of Drawing Near Ministry drew this picture as we worshipped last week. A picture is worth a thousand words. Allow the Lord to pour His Living Water into you and then you have water to pour out to others.
Picture courtesy of Chaplain Ken Alexander
Join us this week at Drawing Near. It is never too late to be filled with more of His Presence.
