The Imperfect Formula
You + Him + Heart Posture.
Last week I was able to take some time off work, which was much needed. I didn’t go anywhere fancy. Just here in Charleston, with margin and slow mornings and nowhere to be.
And can I be honest? Parts of it were a really nice brain break. But I also felt like I wasted some days. And if I’m being really honest… I feel this way from time to time, and it’s something I’m still learning.
Because here’s what happened: when I wrote my last post and mentioned these days coming, I was so excited. Days off work, sleeping in (hello 7 am), working out whenever I wanted, a massage, lying by the pool, reading the Word, journaling, praying, walking, all the things.
And I did a lot of the above. But I also really leaned into the “me” time. I watched shows for way too long. Scrolled when I didn’t need to. And while I did spend time journaling, there was a part of me by the end of the week that felt like I missed it. Like I missed the point. Like I should have spent way more time with the Lord; more minutes, more intention.
Have you ever felt that way? Like you had the time and still somehow missed it?
And then there’s Baxter.
Our puppy just got neutered this week and has strict orders from the vet… no running, no jumping, complete rest. And watching him fight against it has made me a little stressy these past few days, and I just feel for him. Because he wants to play, he wants to run, he wants to have fun. But his body needs the stillness, whether he wants it or not.
And I thought… isn’t that exactly what we do? God gives us a pocket of rest, a slow morning, a few days off, and instead of actually receiving it, we fill it with Netflix and our phones and the busyness of a different kind. We fight the stillness just like Baxter fights his cone.
Sometimes we need a hard stop. A hard reset. And even when we don’t steward it perfectly, like I don’t think I did, there’s grace for that too.
Here’s what I want you to hear: spending time with the Lord should never feel like a checklist or a performance. The moment it starts producing shame is the moment you know your head is in the wrong place.
Early on in my walk with the Lord, there were seasons of checklist faith: read the chapter, say the prayer, check the box. But today, it’s so much different. It’s a sincere yearning and hunger to just be with Him. To learn more, gain wisdom, and sit in His presence. And even when a week doesn’t look the way I planned, that hunger is still there.
Do you yearn to be with Him?
Do you desire the Word of the Lord?
Do you dwell with Christ?
That desire… that’s the thing. That’s what matters to Him.
There is no perfect formula for retreating with God. The pressure we put on ourselves to get it exactly right is often exactly what gets in the way.
It’s really just you and Him. He and you. A relationship that desires connection, intimacy, and conversation, never performance.
The best thing about our God is that He lives inside of us. We can invite Him into all parts of our days. Not just the quiet, intentional ones, but the chaotic, messy, puppy-running-into-furniture ones too.
So if you feel far from the Father this week, retreat to Him, but don’t think it has to look a certain way. Here are some helpful ways to invite Him into all parts of your day:
Open the Word first thing in the morning, before your phone
Instead of scrolling when you wake up, pray out loud
While your coffee is brewing, sit in silence and thank Him
Turn on worship music on your walk and worship
Pray before a hard conversation, a meeting, or a moment that feels heavy
Asking Him for help and direction
There is no right way, but there is a Way, and it’s Him.
As you head into this week, do a little inventory:
Has your time mostly been spent on what you want?
Have you had any quiet moments at all?
Can you hear clearly from the Lord right now?
When did you last open your Bible?
Whatever it looks like for you this week, even five quiet minutes… retreat to Him. It’s always worth it.
Love,
Katie Jane 🤍
Well done again.