Are you tired?

At my last appointment, my doctor asked me the same question. I'm sure I had a dumbfounded look on my face. That's a crazy question, right? Isn't everyone tired? All I could answer was, "Well, I drink a lot of coffee, so maybe."

Too much stuff on the calendar, too much pressure on myself to keep up, too much hustle, not enough living and definitely not enough rest.

Sleep deprived and needing Jesus.

I believe the enemy likes to whisper lies to us in our exhaustion, to make us feel inadequate and discouraged. Like we aren't doing enough, being enough or measuring up. It seems like when I've been in that place I see blog after blog about getting up early to get more done and hustle more. As someone who occasionally forgets that I don't have to hustle for my worth, it would be easy to buy every single word of it. 

There are a few questions I've wrestled with over the last year: Why do I keep forgetting to live in the freedom available to me by sitting back and allowing God to work in my life? Why am I trying to do it all on my own? If I'm in a season where physical rest seems impossible, how can I have rest for my soul? What can I do to get to the place of quiet, to focus and connect with Him even when I'm wore out?

Here are two little, realistic ways that I'm intentionally filling my soul daily and finding rest.

Find beauty
Whether it's lighting a candle and reading, a great meal full of wonderful flavors, time in nature or enjoying beautiful music, I've started doing little things to feel the presence of God and enjoy the beauty He has created. These are just small ways that I can fill my soul, which helps me find rest and feel His presence daily.  

Breath prayers
We don't have to have a lot of focus and deep thought to just call out to God, surrender to Him, and tell Him exactly where we are. Breath prayers have become a regular thing for me throughout the day that help me hit the reset button and connect with Him.
Lord, give me peace.
Father, guide me today.
God, you are good.
Lord, give me wisdom.

Last week I stumbled upon this image. The words were perfect. The timing was perfect. Thanks, internet.

Let's all take that to heart. Slow down. Rest in the Lord.

Something I know about myself is that I often try to do too many things at once. I could rattle off a laundry list of things I want to learn to do or improve. But right now, I'm just focusing on abiding and resting. If I can be consistent in those two things, I'll be tethered to Christ, and that's what matters.

I'm giving up caring if someone else could live my life and follow my schedule with more grace and ease than I can. It is time to stop looking to the left and right, how he or she is "handling" things, trying to keep up with everyone else. Let's shift our thinking. Let's relearn rest. Again.

Take a deep breath. God knows your story. He knows where you are. He is with you. Rest in that.

Maggie Frazee is a Writer and Editor at Connection Pointe.