So many mothers and women use the term 'Me Time'. It is usually referred to as a coveted treasure, an elusive prize, or a hard eared reward that they can't wait to get. And I, myself, have felt that I deserve or even need 'Me time' once in a while. Particularly the last two weeks as my daughter has basically stopped napping and I no longer have time for myself. But just what exactly is 'Me time?' And do I really need it?I like to think of 'me time' as time that I can relax, unwind and take care of myself without having to take care of anyone else. That definition sounds good, and beneficial......but sometimes is not very accurate. Rather than resting, exercising, planning or whatever else I should do to take care of myself I often squander my 'me time.' What is mean is that I might waste the time watching meaningless shows, chatting on the phone just to kill time or run around trying to complete too many tasks in a tiny time frame. Then my time for myself has not been beneficial at all. And in fact, has merely been an expression of selfishness. Not to say that watching a short TV show to relax, talking with a friend to connect or completing one specific task is a bad thing.....but just mindlessly doing these things uses up time. Time that God has given me. Time that, therefore is not mine, but God's. Wait a minute...God's time, not my time. Not 'Me Time' either.
The conclusion I have drawn is that I am not that good on my own. I do not actually need, deserve or even benefit from so called 'Me time,' unless I am firmly rooted in the fact that I am always operating on 'God's time.' When I realize this and willingly surrender my time to Him, He provides the perfect opportunities and places for me to relax and be renewed. Whether I am serving my family, playing with my children, talking with my husband, connecting with friends, doing work or reading the Word, time with God provides the best care for my body, mind and soul. Time with myself can often feed my flesh and my selfishness.
We don't need more of ourselves, we need more of Him. So next time you crave 'Me Time,' ask if what you really need is 'God Time.'
1 comment:
I feel so much more responsible for my time now that I'm retired. There is such satisfaction in surrendering throughout the day and feeling God's direction. When I fall back into being independent (and driven to do a lot of things), I feel less satisfied at the end of the day. When I'm more surrendered I feel like I'm having more "me" time, because God gives such satisfaction in every little thing I do.
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