I'm not very good at building margins and space into my life. I never have been. My people-pleasing, perfectionistic, and workaholic ways crowd out any real possibility of healthy margin and breathing room in my life.
When I lack the space to just be, even when my time is filled with everything I love, a crash-and-burn is inevitable.
Been there. Done that. Lived to blog about it.
It takes intentionality to build space into my life. But when I do, my heart is better for it. And so is everything that stems from my heart. My writing, my relationships, my perspective...
A little bit of space goes a long way. Especially when it's a built-in consistent part of my life.
A healthy life rhythm has space built in.
Reminds me of the story of the woman with the issue of blood. I've always loved that passage because it vividly shows me that God is passionate about healing my heart and not just my body. But it also demonstrates a valuable lesson for my heart.
You remember the story, right? The woman pressed through the crowd on her hands and knees, grabbed the hem of Jesus' robe, and was instantly healed.
And the Bible tells us that Jesus felt power go out of Him as soon as she touched Him.
It's unavoidable: Ministry is draining.
If Jesus felt the effects of it, we certainly will.
Serving others, speaking God's truth, and sharing our lives, tires us out. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. We feel it when we spend ourselves for others.
Even when we are doing what we love.
Maybe even more so when we are doing what we love. Because then we have to force ourselves to seek space for our hearts.
Building space into our lives means paying more attention to what and who drains us, as well as what and who refuels us.
When we have space to be and to soak up that which fuels our hearts, then our gifts, passions, and creativities will flourish.
Have you ever noticed the Hebrew word Selah in the book of Psalms? While there's debate over its full meaning, many take it to be a rest. Similar to the rest symbol in sheet music, it signifies the need to pause and soak things in.
Our lives need Selahs written into them.
We need to intentionally create space for Selah in our lives, forcing us to pause, slow down, pull back, and rest. When we do, life is more full. Not just busy, but abundant.
Selah, friends. Selah.
What does space and Selah look like to you? What and who refuels you?
This post was inspired by the Luminous Project. Luminous is an event for creatives on May 9-11, 2012 in Nashville. To find out more, check out LuminousProject.com. You can use the promo code luminousLOVE to get 30% off the ticket price.