Finding Rest

​By: Queen Majeeda

​“Come unto Me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

It's 5 am, and the alarm sounds time to get up. I'm tired, but I must get up because if I don't, I will not have time to spend with God before getting ready for work. The alarm snoozes and sounds two more times like it does every morning because I am genuinely tired – with working, mothering, and all the responsibilities of living. I do a quick reading of God's word and pray a much shorter prayer than I want to so I can get ready, pack my lunch, help my son get ready while my mom packs his lunch, dash through the door and take him to school then head to work before it's late.  

Is this living? I feel like I'm living a programmed life. I yearn for more time with God, and so I beg and beseech Him to give me more time so that I don't have to rush my conversation with him. I do this every morning and throughout the day. I feel like other things are taking precedence, and that's not the way it should be. I need time in the morning to be still. ​

Mornings set the tone for the rest of the day. This yearning to have more time with God has been coming out in my poetry when I find a few minutes to write. My soul is not at rest, and that bothers me. I am frustrated and wonder how will I ever get out of this hamster wheel? Then something major happens. So major, it stops the world! ​

​As a result of COVID-19, everyone is forced to stay at home. Suddenly, I have more time with God. I find peace in the stillness of the mornings, and I commune with God in no hurry. My soul exhales in gratitude to God each morning, I'm not rushing to go anywhere, there's no clock dictating my time spent with the King of the Universe, I am at rest. 

Of course, I am pained at the things I see in the news; I empathize with those who are suffering at this time and feel sorrow for those who have lost loved ones. I wish my opportunity to spend more time with God were not amidst this distress, but I believe that these quiet moments allow us to be transformed into the likeness of God. ​

​Queen Majeeda is a poet, author, and educator who hails from the island of Jamaica and currently resides in Florida. She started out as a recording artist, setting her poems to reggae music and performing in the United States on college campuses, libraries, and cafes, as well as various venues on her native island. Find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @QueenMajeeda and her website by clicking here!