Got time for a drink, friend? (No! NOT THAT kind of a drink!)
She was running, wiping her brow, sweat dripping as she ran.
(I didn’t say life was always pretty.)
She grabbed another drink of water from the paper cup held out to her and dropped half of it on her shirt as she gulped the rest, crumpling and then tossing the paper cup.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!
“They’ll have to clean that up later,” she thought.
She could see another racer just ahead of her, and if she could ONLY go a little faster. She wondered if the other racer might sprain an ankle or fall, or . . . “Then I would be in luck!” she thought.
Wait. Whaat?
She stopped mid-stride to examine her thoughts.
A crowd of racers surged past her in a blur, the rhythmic pounding of their shoes on the pavement the background noise to her thoughts.
When the crowd had passed, she stooped to pick up one of the paper cups, two. When had she become too busy to help clean up the mess she had trampled and even contributed to? Where was this race taking her?
Can’t you be satisfied to drink from the clear stream without muddying the water with your feet? Why do the rest of my sheep have to make do with grass that’s trampled down and water that’s been muddied?
She put her arm around the volunteer who had come to help those racers in need, the one who had noticed that she needed a more extended rest. She limped, her arm draped over the volunteer’s shoulders, to the aid station. They poked her with monitors and gave her a blanket to warm her and then left her alone.
She was fine. She only needed to rest.
And that’s how I woke up this morning.
How about you?
Ever wake up and remember that you forgot to rest, that you don’t know where your race is taking you, that no matter how hard you try, you can’t quite seem to keep up with your inner coach – you – shouting directions – “Turn left! Turn right! No! Go straight!” – in a way that bypasses the control center, the thoughts and dreams that lay dormant in your head?
It was time for me to rest, but how could I do that?
I needed to exit the race for a bit, to limp to the side and to check out my map. Just because everyone else was running in this direction, did that mean that I should too? What was the map of my heart saying?
I’ll give you the best of care
if you’ll only get to know and trust me . . .
I’ll . . . give you a long drink . . .
And then she sat.
And then she drank and drank and drank. And roots grew from her feet, deep, deep roots so that she could take a drink more often as she ran the race of life. Water was always at her feet, if only she could remember to drink.
How about you?
And so, what can we do to endure life’s race and not only survive but thrive?
- Stop. Let the exhaustion be your key that it’s time to rest.
In the middle of your tasks you can comfort yourself with Love as often as you can
Brother Lawrence in The Practice Of The Prescence Of God
- Reassess. Stop noticing where everyone else is going. That may not be your race. For example, set aside some time to ask advice from God. Who knows? MAYBE He can EVEN HELP you!
- Wait. Simply being in His Presence will strengthen your soul as you learn to drink His living water.
Got time to put aside the race and the running and the keeping up and discover what your heart may be whispering?
As the song below sings, “there is a peace to settle your soul.” Consider asking Jesus which path to follow to take one step toward this peace. What hint do you sense in your soul? God, help us to hear your call (that our emotions sometimes chime) to stop, to reassess, and to drink, we pray.
Photo Credit – “Caution Runners!” As You Run The Race Of Life! by Nik on Unsplash, Messy Race (And Life) by Richard Scordato on Unsplash
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!
Restoring Life 