Am I Playing God and Why is Rest Torture?

Here’s a little snippet form my community newsletter that I thought you might enjoy.

Rest Is Torture

Hello!

I have taken a little break to settle into a couple new things around here. My kids were on fall break and it took everything in me to listen to the part of me that wanted to rest. My heart wanted to be intentional with my kids but my restless, fixer/ doer part wanted to clean, redecorate, climb a mountain. Anything but rest!

Anyone else feel that vibe? Do you ever wonder what is wrong with me?!! That's a regular occurrence in my spicy mind.

I talked about parts work in my last letter. I find it really helpful to visit with your inner parts and try to notice them and put them on a shelf where they can be seen but not always used. Like a fancy crystal punch bowl your wacky aunt gave you that you will never ever use in this century. :)

Here's where I start everyday...

What parts of me are screaming the loudest today? Comparison, fear, people pleasing, anger??

What can I visualize or hold onto to put that part back on the shelf? What does my Intuitive and Spiritual Self that is content and grounded need to say to that loud part?

Do I Hear God or Is it Just Me Playing God?

Woah! I sat with some ladies in a bible study this week and this question came up. My mind was blown that some older women who I thought had it all together wondered this as well. Do you feel like your self-talk is leading the narrative? Could your voice be drowning out the Holy Spirit's song of peace and discernment?

First of all, of course your fleshly moody mind is drowning out God. This is why meditation and mindfulness is so helpful. It separates the chaos and anxiety from the gift of living in the present. All that junk gets in the way of hearing His calming and comforting words.

Also, all your old church baggage might be getting in the way too. Church baggage is a mess and can be all the distorted teachings that we hear and have heard about God. That baggage makes us feel shame, anxiety, and even confusion about having a personal relationship with the holy spirit. It tells us that we can't trust ourselves to hear and know God, so instead, we take the wheel.

Church baggage is a mess to untangle for another time. I'll leave you with a few ideas for mindfulness so you can center on God's word.

Journaling

Walking

Meditation

Yoga

Breathwork

Body Scans

If you enjoy my weekly musings of faith and mental health, join my newsletter. You can also get my freebie on building boundaries. My hope is to share resources to help you build healthy relationships and habits for fruitful and successfull futures.

I’m praying with you and for you! Reach out and tell me more about where you are stuck.

Be well, Whitney