There are times in life when we need to change our rhythm. I like to plan and organize so I do best when rhythm changes are anticipated. For example, I am currently in my third trimester with our third child. It is expected that our life as a family will find a new rhythm. I have planned for our homeschool year to end, the house to be clean, extra meals to be in the freezer, and baby supplies to be organized before the baby arrives. This way even as the beat of life stays steady our rhythm can relax a bit as we adjust.Let me backup a step for those not as familiar with the terms beat and rhythm. The beat is a strong, regular, repeated pattern that holds the music together. Rhythm is the flow of the music within the beat. As a Christian, I would define the beat as our identity in Christ. Rhythm would be how we inhabit the beat. No matter what we do or don’t do God’s love is strong and steady. The length of time I spend on daily tasks may change, my schedule may change whether I have the melody or am harmonizing with those around me may change. What I had not prepared for was a drastic rhythm change right now!It felt like life took my quarter notes with sporadic eighth notes and changed everything to sixteen notes. I couldn’t keep up and notes are being dropped. The pitch in my house is no longer in harmony. What does that look like you might ask?It looks like having 3 puppies that need to be walked until the fence proves to hold them within our yard. Resulting in dirty floors due to frequent in and out traffic. A break in my laundry pattern due to time being used for puppies. A dishwasher that decides it’s a perfect time for the motor to quit. Plus kids that take way longer to do school work than I planned. Solutions for all these setbacks are in the works. I just have to stay patient and hold it all together until then.Woah! Did you catch that? I assigned a job to the rhythm that belongs to the beat. The rhythm works within the beat. The beat holds the song together, strong and steady. I am dropping notes and making a mess of the rhythm because I lost focus of the beat.God is to order my steps. I am to rejoice and be glad in my day. When I step outside my boundaries it sucks the joy out of my house. It’s normal to feel stress or have moments that are overwhelming. But I should look to God to define me and set the beat. It would be awesome if life’s changes were always smooth and choreographed, but reality is sometimes one and half beat drops making the music sound jerky.It’s okay when we continue to take it to God in worship and prayer, he pieces it together into a beautiful symphony. God in his infinite wisdom also expected us to rest within our rhythm. Sometimes it’s just for a beat or it could be a measure or more. Don’t ignore the rests, God will keep the beat.
1 John 3:20-21 TPT Whenever our hearts make us feel guilty and remind us of our failures, we know that God is much greater and more merciful than our conscience, and he knows everything there is to know about us. My delightfully loved friends, when our hearts don’t condemn us, we have a bold freedom to speak face-to-face with God.
Colossians 3:23-24 TPTPut your heart and soul into every action you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others. For we know that we will receive a reward, an inheritance from the Lord, as we serve the Lord Yawheh, the Anointed One!
Psalm 37:23-24 TPTWhen Yahweh delights in how you live your life, he establishes your every step. If they stumble badly they will still survive, for the Lord lifts them up with his hands.
If you need more scriptures on rest, please visit the previous blog post.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you are always a steady, loving presence in our lives. Help us to find healthy patterns that result in beautiful rhythms. I pray for all the moms, wives, and women who might be struggling with dropped notes or out of tune pitch. Help us to understand our lives are different songs than those around us and not to compare our music with anyone else. Help us to leave our moments of failure at your feet and continue on with joy in our hearts. Help us embrace rest and ask for help when needed. In Jesus name amen.
Nesting in his presence 