Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)
While my son was on deployment, I picked up some not-so-good ways of trying to cope. One of the worst was to keep myself so busy that I didn’t have time to think. Some days my schedule would be so full that I felt bad taking time for lunch.
Eventually that schedule caught up with me, causing me to wake up most mornings with a stress headache. Those headaches forced me to re-evaluate my routine. As I did, I realized I’d been avoiding my regular quiet times with God.
For years, my routine had evolved into reading my Bible and praying at a set time every morning. That quiet time would help me prepare for the day ahead.
It also gave me a larger perspective and the ability to see the circumstances around me from God’s point of view. Something I desperately needed right then. Instead, fearful that the emotions I’d held in check would come boiling out, I was running from the One who could help me most.
It sounds awful to admit that I’d been purposely avoiding God, but it was true. And it seemed the more fearful I got, the less time I spent with Him, and the more fear began to dominate my life.
The connection was obvious when I faced it, but it took me a while to see it. You may wonder how I finally caught on, and I have to confess it wasn’t anything I did. It was Emily Dickinson–my cat.
You see, Emily had an unusual routine. Every afternoon, unless I locked her out of the room, she spent at least thirty minutes in my lap hanging out. It didn’t matter how engrossed I was in writing.
She insistently invaded my space, sometimes stretching out on my laptop keyboard making it impossible to continue working. My cat doesn’t care that I might be busy, her focus is on spending regular time with the person she loves.
As those with loved ones serving in the military, we need that same kind of comfort. We need the peace and perspective that comes from God–from spending time every day with Him.
For us to stay strong, it’s necessary to take the time to rest, safe in His arms, away from the trials of the day. He is always there, waiting for us to come, offering comfort and love.
