“Since we all have so much free time right now…”
Show of hands, how many people have heard that comment in the last few months?
Many of us entered this season with the assumption that—if nothing else—we’d all be a lot more available. Somehow, that hasn’t been true for most of us. If anything, we feel less available than ever.
Those of us who are still heading to work are now slammed by the demand of our essential jobs. Those of us who are learning to work from home are struggling to balance the responsibilities of being a parent and an employee. Even if we aren’t working right now, we may have noticed that we are less emotionally and mentally available. We check our energy reserves, and they’re running low.
In a season when many of us are feeling screen fatigued, we might find ourselves frustrated. We’re not the only ones experiencing this, and it can be frustrating when we reach out to a friend or family member and find that they are also unavailable. As we experience this, it’s easy to forget that God feels none of those things. He has not changed with the times. He is not irritated by the current circumstance. And he is always available.
“Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, he increases strength.”
Isaiah 40:28-29
God is not fatigued. He is not weary of the sound of your voice. He is available, and he is waiting to have a good long talk with you.
We call this prayer.
Sometimes we get the wrong idea about prayer. We think of it as a task, some business that we need to accomplish with God. We often approach prayer with a list of to-dos for him and for ourselves. Prayer isn’t us checking off our spiritual to-do list. Prayer isn’t us getting our will done in Heaven. Prayer is us linking hands with God, to get his will done on earth.
Rather than push ourselves harder and harder to be more available, we need to run to the Father who is always available. We need to seek refreshment and renewal in his presence, knowing that he is not weary.
As we spend time in the presence of our Heavenly Father, amazing things start to happen. As we see the wisdom and the goodness of God, our hearts are quieted. When we catch a glimpse of the plans that he’s got in the works, our plans take a backseat. When we understand that the God of the Universe is available to all of us at any time, we realize that we are never alone. When we can sit in his presence and draw from his strength, we find that much of our frustration with others dies down. As we take comfort from the God who makes himself available to us, we become more available to comfort those around us.