Sometimes we feel like we have to be superhuman. You know what I mean, you can’t say no to anything, it always has to be yes. Soccer, baseball, football, tennis, dance, gymnastics, play dates, etc. added to the therapies, appointments and all the rest. If you’re like us you feel like saying no is a violation of your calling. You convince yourself that everything is a Jonah moment if you will. Where it is so obvious that you have to say yes because no is not an option.
I think that we place burdens on ourselves that the Lord never intended for us. He tells us that His yoke is EASY and His burden is LIGHT. So anything that doesn’t meet those two requirements (easy and light) are things that we impose on ourselves and not what He asks of us.
Perhaps that is because we have bought the lie that busy equals holy.
When we think of Jesus we think of servant Jesus.We think of Jesus who restored sight, who healed the lame and who raised the dead. We think of Jesus who taught and who fed 5,000. We think of Jesus who turned water into wine. We always seems to remember Jesus when He was busy and we forget when He went to the other side of the lake to get away from the crowd.
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. – Matthew 8:18 (NLT)
The lesson here is that you need to take the time to make sure you are rested and well cared for. When you are spread too thin you can’t be the parent your kids need you to be. You can ask grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, small group members or respite providers if you have foster kids to help you out.
Our “other side of the lake” is time together. A night at the movies or a nicely paced dinner works wonders for us. It requires some effort and cooperation but it is well worth it.
Where is your other side of the lake?
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved
Ryan North is the Co-Founder of One Big Happy Home and creator of The Empowered Parent Podcast. He is a recognized expert on childhood trauma, a TBRI Practitioner, and develops training materials for parents, schools, churches, and child-placing agencies. Ryan is a sought-after speaker known for his engaging and practical approach to communicating complex issues clearly and relatable to a wide range of audiences.