Reading and discussing the book, “Fervent” by Priscilla Shirer with our book club this summer has been eye-opening and encouraging. Each chapter identifies and unpacks a specific way the Enemy attempts to hinder our prayer life and, in turn, our relationship with the Lord. I have taken away specific actions from each chapter that will be life-changing for my prayer life.
One chapter that resonated with me was chapter 8, titled Your Pressures. In it, Priscilla discusses the impact of the pressures we face and the pace we try to keep. Keeping an overly busy schedule, or trying hard to constantly keep up with internal and external pressure on us, can leave us so overwhelmed that we rarely have time for passionate prayer and time in the Word…regardless of how much we need it.
This reminded me of a season in my life, a decade or so ago. My schedule and commitments far exceeded the amount of time I could actually put in while giving 100%. Yes, I could technically “keep all the plates spinning”, and the Enemy used that fact to keep me way too busy, for way too long. After a few conversations with my husband, we both realized that we needed to step out of some commitments and rearrange our calendar, putting more priority on our young children.
As we began to release things from our weekly calendar, a couple of impactful things happened. First, we felt a sense of overall peace and a passion for the things God was still calling us to be part of. Second, we noticed small blessings in the extra space we had in our daily rhythm, like longer conversations and not feeling hurried everywhere we went. We also realized we could be more present with our kids, because the mental load was lighter. And lastly, we loved how by saying “no” to an opportunity, someone else was able to say “yes” and experience the blessing of serving.
Priscilla points out that our pressures enslave us and keep us from experiencing rest and Sabbath, much like the Israelites in the book of Exodus. Scripture commands us to experience a weekly Sabbath - more than just a church service, but a day of rest and restoration, along with worship. When my husband and I began to take that fourth commandment seriously, by prioritizing the Sabbath day, it was one of the best things for our minds and bodies.
If you are in a constant state of hurry, or feel overwhelmed by the pressures of life, I recommend the encouragement you’ll find in chapter 8 and I hope you’ll find a rhythm of rest with the Lord.
Meet the Author!
Heather McAnear is a wife, mom, author and speaker with a passion for sharing God's truth to help women understand their uniquely beautiful design and how to use it for God's glory! In fact, Heather hosts the Uniquely Beautiful Stories podcast on iTunes in hopes do just that! She loves teaching young married couples with her husband, time with her three teen-aged children, traveling, enjoying good chocolate and long conversations in coffee shops. CRBC has been her church home for more than two decades and serving on the Women's Ministry team has been one of her greatest joys!