The Tension Between Running and Resting

Do you ever just get sick of people? I do!


Sometimes, between the demands of everyday practical life and the emotional demands of relationships, it just doesn't feel like we have anything left to give to anyone. These feelings  infect and affect all of our lives. And left unchecked, they tear down the people and relationships we love the most. 


But what do we do with those feelings? Do we just throw up our hands, slam our doors, and tell everyone to take a hike? Do we pretend that we're fine when we're not, and continue to run on emotional fumes? What are we supposed to do? 


 Being there to help and serve other people is a good thing, and taking time to care for yourself emotionally is a good thing. But both of them end up being bad if we take them to extremes. And it's here we find the tension between running and resting. 

My husband and I were blessed to have a night away together last week to celebrate our anniversary! We went to an awesome hotel, The Anniversary Inn, (which has a ton of amazing, themed rooms. We stayed in the "King Arthur" suite) and had a great time simply being together.

Logan in our "castle"!

And you know what I discovered? In the midst of all my practical everyday running, trying to do my best to serve him, I had lost sight of actually loving him.  I had allowed the errands, cleaning, and tasks to cause me to forget that I love this man. (Don't judge, you know you do it too. )

When Logan and I got married, I made a vow to serve him, submit to him, and help him carry out God's purpose for his life. And I was excited to make that promise because I loved him. But 3 1/2 years down the road, as the practical outworking of that vow continues, it's easy to allow dedication to a vow eclipse 

There was a sword in the room! 

dedication to a person. And when that happens, we lose the joy of the relationship. It becomes monotonous drudgery, or worse, something that causes resentment in our hearts.

But when we took time away from the practical pressures of life and just enjoyed one another, I remembered why I committed my life to this man in the first place- because I love him. I have an awesome husband who loves me more than I can ever understand (he proved it on our getaway by memorizing and reciting this Shakespeare sonnet to me :O). But it's easy to forget how much he loves me when I don't take time to allow him to remind me.

They brought breakfast to our room! 

I came back from our getaway refreshed in his love for me and ready to jump back in to practical life. And you know what? Sweeping the kitchen floor doesn't seem as much like drudgery as it did before. I've been reminded that I do it because I love my husband, and not because of obligation.

The same principle applies to our relationship with God and other people. At the beginning of our relationship with God, we're serving him and others because we love God. We can't get over what God has done for us, what He's saved us from, and what He's given us in Christ. And so we serve Him from the overflow of our hearts!

Serious face....

But a few years down the road, some of the magic of what God has done for us has been forgotten. We've gotten so caught up in the practical outworking of our salvation that we've forgotten that we love the One who gave it to us. Our service to God and others becomes monotony, or worse, a cause of resentment toward them and God.

When that happens, we need to take time away and refresh ourselves in the love God has for us. We need to remember why we started serving Him and others in the first place- because we love Him. 


Don't allow the running of life to rob you of one of God's greatest gifts: Resting in His love. Take time to allow Him to show you His love, and remember why you committed your life to Him in the first place.


Resting in love, whether it be God's love or the love of another person, is The Divine Ordinary- God showing up in the middle of our ordinary lives. Take it for the gift it is, and cherish it. 



 

Have you had a similar experience? Share it in the comments!