I don’t know about you, but usually my brain has too many tabs open. Things to think about, tasks to juggle, people to speak to, places to be.
But I am currently on maternity leave, in the midst of a pandemic, in a one room apartment, back at my parents’ house. Suddenly my list of tasks has shrunk considerably. I have found myself in a season of quiet reflection. And it’s liberating I can tell you!
I don’t know when busyness and exhaustion became badges that we wore with pride. I know that I used to be always on the go, rushing from A to B, never really satisfied that I’d ‘done enough’. Yet, now I have slowed down, I have never felt more fulfilled, more at peace.
Switching off and learning to rest in the presence and peace of God is essential. It’s important to enjoy the moment, be in the present and recognise the beauty of the life around us.
Winter is here, sub-zero temperatures and all. For me this means long, cosy evenings curled up on the sofa with a warm cup of tea and slippers. It’s a perfect time to find that quiet space. That secret place. That particular room, or chair, or corner where you can set time aside to just be. Just you and God. Just your thoughts and his presence. Breathe in. Breathe out. Be still.
Enjoy the moment. Be in the present. Recognise the beauty around you.
Take some time today to enjoy what is beautiful – 5 minutes to just stop and be still. Think about the things that make you smile, the beauty of God’s creation, the love of the people around you. Watch the sun set. Count the stars. Go for a walk somewhere beautiful. Celebrate the unseen beauty that is in your life right now. The people you are thankful for. The person you are today. The breath that is in your lungs.
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