Upheld in Doing Nothing

Sunning

Please read that right. Sunning, not sinning.

I ran across this guy sunning himself on the rock when I visited the river during a recent sunny, warm spring day. The water is racing by him, but he is just sitting there. Doing nothing.

Doing Nothing

Is it okay to do nothing?

In our race to somewhere (or nowhere) and trying to accomplish everything (or naught), where might there be time to just sit and rest our souls and our bodies?

Maybe we have to schedule time to rest. Perhaps we are not capable of setting aside all the tasks, physical or mental, to sit still.

Has there been a time that you have scheduled to do nothing?

No guilt allowed.

Rest and Solitude

Where do you go for rest and solitude? Have you asked yourself that question? Think about it.

I like to visit the river, in any season. But spring is special because of the snow runoff. The river rushes by in foaming gallons and swirls around unseen rocks. It leaps and dips. It roars. And somehow, all that noise and activity is restful to my soul.

Like Mr. Goose sitting on the rock and sunning himself.

Restful Opportunities

I think it takes planning for restful opportunities. Our society is not conducive to rest or solitude. Think of all the ways we fill our airwaves. And our time.

Some ways that I seek are:

Wandering along the river (as I said, and sometimes surprises like Mr. Goose happen)

Sitting on my porch (though the traffic rumbles by on my busy street)

Journaling (though that means contemplation, rather than doing nothing)

Listening to music (soaking the soul)

Doing a short, unhurried hike (but that does mean moving, however there are opportunities to stop, watch and listen)

What ways do you seek?

God Calling

About the best thing regarding doing nothing is that you clear your senses to hear God speaking to you. We have already established how the noise of our daily world can clutter up our minds and souls. The result is that it crowds out God’s voice.

He is constantly calling out to us. He has secrets to share. Plans to share. Love to share.

But we must quiet our lives to hear.

Let this be a day you do nothing.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27 NKJV). 

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4 NKJV).