Just Be
My life feels very frantic right now. I can’t really catch my breath and I’m constantly feeling edgy.
Ever been in one of those seasons?
I don’t like the feeling and I don’t like myself.
So, today while I was walking I found myself praying, “God, what’s the deal? Why am I so restless, stressed, frantic and irritated? What do I need to do?”
And just as that word “do” came out of my mouth, I felt God kind of stop me in my tracks and say:
“You don’t need to do, you need to be.”
“Be? Be what? How do I be?”
I don’t know how to be.
Be still.
Be calm.
Be quiet.
Be prayerful.
Be listening.
Be thoughtful.
To be means simply to “exist or live”.
In all my frantic-ness, I’ve forgotten how to simply live.
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God.
John Ortberg says in The Me I Want to Be
My main job is to remain connected to God. When my primary focus is being present with him, everything else has a way of falling into place.
That’s what I want to be.
I just can’t figure out how to do it.
How about you?
Praying for you.
So glad we going to talk through The Me I Want To Be. I've loved that book!
Yes, thank you Linds!
Great word, Jenni! Studying John 10 is really helping me through the same stupid crap that I continually have to come back to. I wish so bad that I didn't get so much more joy out of my own work instead of my supplied faith.
Thanks for pastoring me through the journey, Blake!
Good post, Jenni! I needed to read this this morning! Just "being" is so difficult sometimes because you just want instant God-gratification minus the whole faith part.
I've seen you mention The Me I Want To Be before–think I need to check it out. 🙂
Praying for you to find the "be" within yourself through God.
I just read someone (I don’t remember who it was) who said, “God is more interested in who we are than what we do.”
Personally, I know I’m so obsessed with doing because I can define that much better and set up nice little how-to guides for that… while being is trickier, requiring – as cliche as it sounds – a relationship instead of just rules.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
@bondChristian – you are so right! I'm wired much the same way. So frustrating some times.
BE! Love it. What an awesome post. I want to be:
more consistent
more thoughtful
more loving
more in tune
more patient
more forgiving
I hope it starts with prayer, because that is where I am at.
Praying for you today……maybe you need to BE absent from the "routine" for a period of time this week in order to BE with HIM……just a thot! Thanks for leading by sharing. Love serving with and for you!
i am so in this same place. the do-er in me wants to know HOW to be. as if it's a three-step process. things i can check off a list. i can't seem to think outside the confines of doing…
I have been in much the same place for the last few days. I appreciate you sharing honestly and openly about it. I too found myself asking what I could do. The Lord gently and loving reminded me that when I try to "do" instead of surrendering to let him "do", well….I am trying to solve my own issues, and deep down I know I can't. I know I need him, a savior, the only savior.
At church I was reminded that there is a battle for our hearts. I often try to give the Lord my hands, feet, mouth, mind, and actvities but I hold onto my heart. I want to guard, protect, and envelope it to keep it safe. I often feel it is so broken, ugly, corrupt, sick, and screwed up that the Lord wouldn't want it and couldn't do anything with it. What he really wants to do is take it from me to make it new. What he wants me to DO is to let go and die to myself. He wants me to BE his daughter, his heir, his masterpiece, his creation. What he wants to DO, is BE God. He can do it a lot better than I can, so I am letting go!
Oh my, I soooooo love this second paragraph. We think we're giving everything over, but really we still hold onto our heart and need to give it to Him as well. Thanks for putting this in writing. I LOVE IT.
Thanks for the reminder! I needed to read this.
I told you this in person…but am saying it again here…great post. Something we all struggle with, and aren't willing to share with others. Thanks for starting the discussion!
thank you for the reminder…
Great post! God's speaking the same thing to me right now. Yet another confirmation. 🙂
I feel like I'm in the same sort of season right now. I'm on the go taking my son to his activities and I feel like I can't just sit and be still. I know it's just a busy month and it will slow down, but it's not a peaceful feeling waiting for it. I do find myself trying to get up earlier than the rest of the house just so I have the time to write and just be for a few minutes before the chaos begins.
Just read this today and it was exactly what I needed to hear on this day. Thank you.