Creating Margin Just For Margins Sake

I haven't always prioritized rest. I haven't always prioritized saying "no." Sabbath has not always come naturally for me.

I am an enneagram nine (I think, still reading through all the types) but I have a lot of three in me as well, so the following is a muscle I've had to really work over the last several years (read: I have not always done this well because 1. I'm a people pleaser and 2. I don't like conflict . . . see number 1. Also read: Thankfully, I am a much healthier 9 now than I used to be, so respectfully stating my opinions/thoughts is not as debilitating as it used to be. ).

Here's the thing . . . It's not that I think being busy is bad or having a long to-do list is a sin, but guys, dare I say that the thing Satan uses the most to get us in a cycle of self-destruction is not drugs or alcohol or pornography but the inability to prioritize stillness*. Satan dangles a lot of really good, honorable things in front of our faces and we grab hold of all of them and pencil in way more than can logically fit in the 24 hours a day provides and then we wonder why we haven't felt peace and claim we don't know what God is up to because "He just never speaks to us." We go-go-go in the name of service (see - not bad things - all good things) all the while failing to realize we are literally crafting an idol in our own image.

I have to believe that God is up there thinking if His children would just stop for a hot minute to not only say "no," but create some purposeful margin and blank days/hours/moments in their calendars to just be (I know, right?! Gasp!), maybe they would realize He never actually stops speaking, but His beloved children just never quiet themselves long enough to hear His voice.

Creating margin for margins sake is not laziness disguised (this is an entirely different issue and I think we all know the difference) or selfishness or something to be looked down upon. I am pushing back on the highly coveted societal gold star that is "do all the things because that is what Good Christians do." Running ourselves into the ground from good deeds is not a badge of honor, it's actual insanity.

When is the last time you asked someone, "How are you?" and they replied with, "I'm so good! And rested! And stress free! I am filled-up in all the right ways and feel so connected to the Lord!" I refuse to feel guilt from others when they don't quite understand why I am saying no to such an honorable opportunity even though I have nothing on my calendar preventing me from saying yes. I am learning to say no to many good things so that I can say yes to the absolute best things He has for me. Trading good for best. This is so important whether you are an extrovert or introvert or whether you have a high capacity for activity or little. Any personality type or enneagram number can fall prey to this type of idol worship.

We all trade best for good when we don't S-T-O-P and ask Him to shut it all down and show us the way. 

Outside of my role as wife and mom I can do a few things really well, but I can't do 28 things really well. And I am going to go so far as to say after taking time to really stretch this muscle, I've been more productive and had greater impact by prioritizng and focusing on these few, best things. I would rather do a few things better than a lot of things just mediocre. But, I won't ever know what these best things are if I don't start the habit of creating space for my soul to figure it out. And I don't think it's a once-and-done-kind-of-thing. We are evolving people which means we need repeated space and quiet to make sure those best things are well, still the best things. God wants so much more from us than busy mediocrity. (Does that last sentence even work? I don't know but I'm going with it.)

Who's with me? 

#rest #Sabbath #stillness #noisacompletesentence 

*I have no actual stats or research on this thought, but I wholeheartedly believe we downplay certain idols because they look good and Christian-like and honorable, where other idols are more obviously destructive.