It's pretty simple: If you want space in your life, you have to create space in your life. If you wait on that space to just show up some day, you will wait forever.
I know, a real downer, huh? But it's true.
Let me say it a little differently: You need space in your life--space to be the person God created you to be, space to connect with God one-on-one, space to thrive as the person you are.
I'm not trying to suggest that you immerse yourself in self-help, self-centered, self-stuff that will take you farther away from God's plan for your life. No way! We are, after all, called to be other-centered, other-help kind of people. But you won't be able to be who God desires you to be unless you create the space for that to happen.
I'm a pastor. That means a great deal of my life is spent 'on call.' That's fine. It's the nature of the task. But if I don't create space in my life where I'm not 'on call,' then I eventually make myself unusable and useless, worn out and not able to be my best for God or anyone. So, I have to build time into my life where I am not 'available,' such as a day off, or an extended vacation, even a cell-phone holiday. Not only do I need that for my own personal well-being, God needs me to do that or I have no resources left at his disposal. And as hard as it is, I can't feel guilty about that. As Jethro reminded his son-in-law, Moses, I'm not God. I will wear out; God will not.
You need this, too, or you will become worn out and useless. It's not an excuse to not serve or to be a lazy believer; it's an opportunity for you to remember that you are human and not perfect, not all-sufficient, that life doesn't depend on you, and that you need a break from it all. After all, if God decided that a good-ole day's rest was in order, I'm pretty sure that we need it to.
I don't know about you, but I want a lifetime of availability to serve God, not just a few months or years til I'm totally spent. To make that happen, you have to create some space in your life.
So, what's your situation? Are you exhausting yourself working, or caring for someone, or running yourself and/or your kids everywhere, watching your life slowly ebb away? You have to build in space in your life. You have to build it in... because no one is going to do it for you.
Are you going to make some people uphappy who think you are deserting them? Probably. That's ok. They don't have to understand. And you don't owe them an explanation. But you need to build the space.
Do you need permission? Here it is: BUILD SPACE IN YOUR LIFE for God to work. Say no to what/who needs said no to. Ask who you need to ask so you can get it done. Do the hard work of building space so that you can continue to be your best for God. You need it. And he needs you to do it. There is only one God who is able to do it all... and, I'm sorry to say, you ain't it honey!
God bless you as you create space in your life for God.
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