I can’t sit still. I have always been that way. I am busy, I am Tigger, I am always working on something, I am the original hyperactive child. Fidget, fidget, fidget.
Restless – I am restless. The heading in my commentary for James 5:7-12 is “Reminders to the Restless”. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient, strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.”
I do well under pressure, when I am busy. I have been reflecting on coming out of a busy season of ministry – when so much was required of me, when I met the Lord at 5 am every morning because there were so many things to pray about and seek guidance on, when it was “game on” all the time.
When I left Stuttgart, the Lord impressed upon me that the next thing was a Sabbatical Season. Sabbatical meaning rest, quietness, study. I needed it, but I didn’t like it. The Lord gave me four clear priorities for my sabbatical season:
1. NO new projects (oh, how hard that would be!),
2. Support and encourage my husband in this time of transition,
3. Support and encourage my kids in this time of transition, and
4. Work hard at getting back into good physical shape.
So here I am – I’m dying for a project like some people are dying for a drink… But I am on sabbatical. I am trying to be appreciative of my period of resting, but I just find it difficult. (But I do like having time for sports!) I am still meeting with the Lord, and He still speaks to me (usually it’s “Be patient, child.”), and I am loving reading and playing with my kids.
I like the farmer image in James 5:8 – he is waiting for precious produce, something valuable, that will only come in due time. I cannot, and should not, hurry it along. (This is much better than the “Moses tending sheep” image I have stuck in my head – Moses was out there 40 years! Plus, thanks to West Africa, I know a lot about sheep and there’s nothing good that comes out of that…)
Pray for me and my sabbatical – that I wouldn’t run ahead of God, nor waste my free time.
Also, when I started this blog I promised myself that I would only write when God laid something on my heart… that I wouldn’t post every week just to hear myself talk. (There’s plenty of that around!) So don’t worry if I don’t write… I am resting.
Mindy Clemons 
There is something precious about waiting to until God says move. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit by being busy when God wants you to draw near to Him. (isaiah 55:6) Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon Him while he is near. He has something important to say to you. I am praying for you to hear and understand.
Mindy,
I too am in a holding pattern right now and it has been a very hard time for me. This is a very timely message and I thank God for it. I hate to sit still and wait, but just today, during my quiet time, I received Psalms 46:10, ” Be Still and Know that I am God”. This is very hard believe me but I also read ” God heals while we rest”, and I need a great deal of healing so, I am sitting still and trusting God. I am trying not to panic, but instead, just do whatever needs to be done in my home and for the most part – REST and WAIT on the Lord.
Mindy,
This post reminded me of a song my brother likes to sing with his daughter and their guitars. “I’m restless, so restless, til I rest in You…”
I think of those restless times as my bunching up times–you know how worms bunch up for a while and then stretch out, and that’s how they make it through the dirt. I feel that I bunch up my energy reserves (sometimes with a few kinks), and then when the signal comes to stretch out and move, I’m ready.
What I like about these posts is that they are getting more and more honest. The Holy Spirit is giving you a lot of good awareness.
Lots of love going your way.
My thoughts exactly! And I just finished a James study too ;0)