Restless for God


A few days ago, I was really restless. All afternoon, I moved from thing to thing—doing chores, making dinner and cleaning up, baking cookies, and writing a blog post. I got quite a bit accomplished, but something was still off.

It was after dinner when I figured it out…I hadn’t spent time with God all day.

I thought I had—I spent all morning going through Scripture. But…as part of the church ministry staff where I work, that time in Scripture was for a project I was working on, not a personal Bible study.

My morning had been about God, but not spent with God.

Once home, my afternoon was quiet and I thought about sitting down for some quiet time with Him…but I was antsy. So antsy I wouldn’t be able to sit still. That’s what I told myself. So, I mopped the kitchen floor instead.

After dinner, I baked cookies because I couldn’t imagine sitting still to watch TV with my family. I thought about how I didn’t try to sit still that afternoon and talk to God. And I wrote about it.

Then…I asked my daughter to read what I wrote. I value her opinion and ask her to read most of what I write before it goes online.

In her gentle, I-don’t-want-to-hurt-mom’s-feelings way, she suggested I let it sit and see what I thought of it in the morning. I don’t remember her ever suggesting that before, so I started to wonder what had gone wrong.

That’s when it all started to make sense—my morning was about God, but not with Him…I mopped instead of spending time with Him…and then I wrote about it—but still hadn’t had a conversation with Him.

God had been trying to get my attention, but I’d been too focused on my restlessness. It didn’t even occur to me that I was restless for Him.

That post I wrote never made it online. I haven’t even reread it yet. But I thanked my daughter the next day for her honesty. And I thanked God for pursuing me.

I did enjoy the warm cookies that night and my clean kitchen floor, but more importantly, I relearned a lesson that easily gets forgotten…

Being about God is not the same as being with God.

It’s an easy place for the lines to get blurred, especially when you write about faith—both personally and at work. I need the reminder to pay attention and surrender to the nudges from God.

Because He knows, before I do, when I’m restless for Him.

In Christ,

Photo credit: Stock photo:Cookies 3

18 comments:

  1. Eeewww...Laura, this is so filled with the truth of how we want to be His in obedience, walking the path He has for us, yet the time with Him is what will make the difference. How clearly you have pointed this out and how clearly I see the errors of my ways too. This is a powerful piece for my heart this day.
    I am restless today. I think I know what I need to do!
    Visiting from Grace & Truth.
    Caring through Christ, ~ linda

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  2. Yes! I too can reach the end of a day and realize, where was my quiet with Him? I'm still learning to surrender my days to Him - I've got a ways to go! Blessings.

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  3. I so get this, Laura. There is a big difference in being with God and being about God. I have had these days and moments. One of the things that has helped me, is remembering that God is faithful, goes nowhere and promises to be with me always...and that I can tune into that reality anytime by submitting my will to His, and recognizing I abide in Him when I am submitted, surrendered to His will...all that being said, I have done the exact same thing as you did that day, only to come to the same conclusion. Being about our Father's business is no substitute for being with Him. Amazing we have a God that wants such intimacy with each one of us. Hard to grasp, yes? Hugs, my friend and prayers for you and your daughter. Thank you for sharing the salty message He laid on my heart this week, You are a blessing!

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  4. I never thought of it that way, but it is so true! When we are restless, it is because we are restless for God! A wonderful reminder to "cease striving and know that He is God".

    Thank you for sharing. :-)

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  5. Thanks for this reminder, Laura - "Being about God is not the same as being with God." I've been so guilty of just keeping busy instead of sitting down for time alone with God. I'm learning to be still and to really be with Him, not just about Him.

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  6. Being about God is not the same as being with God...surely food for thought. It's a lesson I need to remember since most of my work is about Biblical principles and lessons so I can feel like I was "with" God" yet have just been "about" Him. It makes a good journaling prompt, too.

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  7. Beautiful truth-filled reminder Laura! Thank you!

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  8. I love this! Being about God is not the same as being with God. I love how He pursues us until we stop and realize that it was Him we needed all along. Thank you for linking up at The Weekend Brew.

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  9. As a writer online I've sat with this concern. The "being about God but not with God" is so easy to fall into. I've had days just like the one you describe - where I'm doing all the things but the one my heart needs most. This is a great reminder Laura. Thank you for sharing it here.

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  10. So much truth here, Laura. Letting it settle on my heart right now, in fact. Really grateful for this post! Lord bless, visiting from the #RaRaLinkup today :)

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  11. Being about God is not the same as being with God. Thats a powerful statement, one I am going to post on my facebook wall. It takes discipline to be with God. Great post.

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  12. This is awesome! I have those kinds of days where I am restless for God and this is such a great reminder! Thank you so much for linking with us at Grace & Truth!

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  13. So good. And convicting because um... I've been doing the same thing this morning. I'm stopping now to get with Him. Thanks for this, sister.

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  14. I love the quote, "Being about God is not the same as being with God".
    So much truth in that and a great reminder for my heart. Thanks so much! Blessings, Tammy

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  15. This is so true. I haven't yet had my time with God this morning. I'll go do that now. : )

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  16. That restlessness is often a call to prayer - I have to remind myself of that. I like how you draw that line between spending time about God instead of with God - there's so much truth in that - you've got me thinking. . . . Shalom, Laura!

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  17. Great to see you feature on Grace & Truth. This is such a timely word for me right now - God has really been at me about sabbath rest and exactly that being do busy for him that I'm not spending any time with him. Thank you for this word to my spirit.

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  18. what a wonderful reminder of what we should all do. I found you on Grace and Truth. This is pinned. :)

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