I wake up wearing a thicker blanket of tiredness
Than the one I took to bed last night. Funny it seems
No matter how long I sleep, the wariness wears on.
I fly out early riding my confusion into a new day
Crawl back late, drained and confounded
By ineluctable dramas of human existence
Life has turned a vicious circle, in cycles,
Wearing and tearing and driving me nuts.
My to-do-list grows despite onerous efforts
Indirectly proportional to the measure of my vigor
Leaving me wondering if and when this wandering
Ever will ease or cease: isn’t life meant to be fun?
Where did I miss it? How did I get sucked into
This endless assiduousness that’s blind to the beauty
Of living, slashes patience, flaunts flaws, inspires anxiety,
Spikes susceptibility, zaps my zing, stifles gratitude,
Paralyses appreciation, inflates woes and worries
And hikes vulnerability? Where is the exit
In this kooky-go-round that whirls life out of control
Farther from serenity and stability?
“Pause,” whispered that wee still voice within
‘Pause,’ I pressed to find my feet and kick.
Life is undeniably a constant spin, going endlessly on and on, from one issue to the other, nonstop. If we pursue life the way it is unfolding before our eyes, we will spend every day chasing people and stuff, too stretched by all we want to catch up with, constantly driven by unreached targets and results, and drowned by endless wants and pursuits. Without moments of respite to appreciate or enjoy our achievements, we miss the joy and rewards of the process. That is not how God designed that we live.
Many of the things that happen around us fall beyond the limits of our control. But how do we make sense of the whirls if we have no control on our own speed, lack direction, are constantly on the move with no time to evaluate where we’ve been and prioritize where we should be headed? Success has never been attributed to endless activities. Instead, they wear us out. It is so easy to get carried away by all that has to be accomplished each day. Nevertheless, nothing beats the power of pause.
It is only when we pause that we can ponder and in reflecting, we see beyond immediate pressure to what God has planned for those who love and trust Him. He gave His only Son so we can enjoy a better life than Adam and Eve lost in Eden. Jesus died on the cross so you and I can truly live; not chasing and being chased by insatiable desires. God calls us to life that is not dependent on what the world gives and takes but on all the Father has freely given us; life – the greatest gift of all; peace that comes from intimacy with the Prince of peace; joy that beats transient acquisitions and conditions; and true love, flowing from God, filling us to know that irrespective of whatever we have or lack, we are loved, just as we are; and flowing through us to others so that they too can enjoy our Father’s extravagantly graceful love. We miss these when we focus on all we are chasing and all that is chasing us instead of God, the Source of every good and perfect gift.
When we pause and focus on God, we are roused to step aside, open our eyes to the dinky everyday details that easily slip by unnoticed, to take God out of our limited boxes so He can truly be the Almighty in our peculiar circumstances, to savor the wonders wrapped around the minute miracles that each day and environment supplies, to top up our gratitude and enjoy peace that passes all understanding. No matter how much you think you have to do today, feel free to use the pause; stop, relax into God, let Him cuddle you; nothing can be more refreshing, more rewarding, more transforming and more compelling. Enjoy a wonder-full weekend.
Glory!