Striving or soaring?

     We could hear the little fellow flapping about frantically in the garage the moment we walked out the kitchen door.  The garage door had been closed at the time, yet somehow this little feathered friend had managed to find his way in at some point.  Can you see him forlornly staring out the window?
     It truly broke our hearts.  He continued flapping fruitlessly at the closed window, racing up and down the small ledge of the window pane, certain, I suppose, that somehow he would find a way out, could make a way out where there was no way.  Not out a dirty, closed window.
     But try harder.  Push harder.  Keep flapping and scurrying and working... more, more, more.   Until finally complete exhaustion overwhelmed him and he just sat there, I suppose feeling hollow and hopeless... looking at that wild greenery and bright blue sky that just seemed to mock him in his trapped and depleted state.
     Anybody ever feel like that?  Burned out.  Bummed out.  Rusted out.  Overwhelmed with the enormity of all you've got to do or face.  Or just utterly fatigued by this race, this treadmill you can't seem to step off of... and the pace just seems to grow faster and more demanding.
     No respite in sight.  And the enemy whispers: "There's no way out."
     Oh, but there is.  The Lord had to remind me that where there's no way out, He already has the way out.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and He who is The Way will provide our way out.
      Sometimes we just have to slow down, pause, and still our restless, weary hearts long enough to hear His still, small voice.
     "Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5)
      Abiding in Christ doen't happen when our souls are frantic and hustling.  Abiding requires moments of stillness and calmly resting in Him, trusting Him to provide the strength and stamina we need.  Trusting Him to provide the way out when there is no way.  Trusting that it's okay to wait on Him and believing His timing is always perfect (though not often on our "get it down right now or else" schedule.  I'm learning God doesn't seem to enjoy encouraging our frantic, out-of-control, frazzled pace--maybe because He loves us too much to allow us to self-destruct.).  
      Here's the thing--that little bird had a HUGE way of escape right beside him!  Can't you see it just to the right of the picture?!   We opened that garage door wide and repeatedly tried to help him see his freedom was right beside him!   All he had to do was stop flapping fruitlessly at that closed window and look right behind him and fly right out into God's sky of beauty and freedom.
     But incredibly, he wouldn't do it!  As we tried to encourage him (that's a fishing pole in the picture that my husband was using to try to get him to stop clinging to that window ledge and look around for a moment and see the giant open garage door right behind him), he just fly back and forth in front of the small closed window, redoubling his hopeless, exhausting efforts.  Unbelievable.
     O Lord Jesus, forgive me for that is so often me--Your restless, striving, pushing, trying, but then finally tired, hollow and hopeless child.   And all the while, You beckon: Come to Me.  Abide in Me. I am the Door and all who enter through Me find abundant Life and rest for their souls and peace like a river and joy greater than circumstances and the Way out where there is no way.
     Suddenly, our little bird gave up all hope, ceased flapping, and seemed to turn just for a moment... and then he saw it.  The wide open way out to freedom.  And out he flew.  Into God's wild, free, brilliant blue sky.  Released from striving and freed to soar as God intended.
      Father, help us to do the same this day.  You are beckoning and calling our names in love.  You are our Way out of the maelstrom and into the respite our souls crave and only You provide.  We can handle the whirlwind if You are in it with us--but keep us abiding in You.  Seeking Your face before searching our emails or tacking our to-do list.
     Help us to live this day in the freedom of Christ--our sin bearer and grace giver.  He is enough... and He is our Way.  And apart from Him we can do nothing--except exhaust ourselves.  We love You, Lord.  To God be the glory.