I had it all planned, how I was going to spend the first week in January celebrating Epiphany by taking time to focus on the Jesus whose birth I never get to celebrate through stillness and rest prior to or on December 25th because of all the chaos surrounding traditions of Christmas. I can’t ever focus truly on the miracle of His coming and the fulfillment of the prophecy. So, on Monday through Wednesday, of this week, I was planning on having my personal CHRISTmas in the quiet of my home. However, plans get interrupted and that will not be happening this week.
I’m struggling with this and wondering if I have made the right decision. I just want to please God in these things. I don’t have a peace that I have done that. I feel like I have put him on the back burner again.
It is my goal this year to learn to rest in His presence more and to spend less time on “ministry” work. When we spend time with Him, we will get all things accomplished that He sets us out for us to do. When we get so busy doing things “for” Him, we just wear ourselves out doing works and we actually miss Him altogether in the process. If what we do in service to God is burning us out, then we are no longer serving according to His will or by His strength.
The most important thing God wants for us to do is abide in Him. He wants us to experience peace in the midst of the chaos of life. We will not find that peace by staying busy – even if the busy is in ministry. Our peace, guidance, and strength come from rest in Him. So even though I’m not off to a good start, that is my goal this year – to learn to say no to others more, so I can say Yes Lord, more. I want to learn to find my peace and rest in Him. I really need it.
At this time I am exhausted from the Christmas traditions I put myself through each year, often leaving little time for Christ. Oh the irony. But, instead of spending the last few days of Epiphany focusing on His light, I have committed to something that will keep me very busy during these final days of Christmas. Having compromised my long awaited time to rest and focus on God these last days of Christmas has left me with the blues.
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