Ever heard of the terrible twos? Of course, you have! A few toddlers breeze through the twos without much drama, but most do not. My granddaughter did not. She was quite the drama queen—especially when she was tired and didn’t want to take a nap. One time when I was caring for her, she was beyond tired and in desperate need of a nap. Problem was—she refused to enter into a deal with me to take that much-needed nap. I knew it was exactly what she needed and that nothing else was going to help her disposition. As I carried her upstairs to her bedroom, she kicked and screamed the entire time, “No Gigi! No nap!” Once inside her bedroom, she refused to lie down in her toddler bed. She sat on the floor in defiance, with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. There was no way she was going to lie down!

I took her Minnie Mouse pillow off her bed and placed it on the plush rug next to where she was sitting hoping she would lower her head to the pillow. She didn’t. Then I lay down on the rug and tried to coax her into my open arms. She refused to comply. As she sat next to me, with arms still crossed, I began singing softy, and I gently stroked her hair. Her little toddler body finally relaxed, and she fell asleep sitting up! Then she toppled into my open arms and settled in for that much-needed nap. Two hours later, she woke up with a smile on her face. She was sweet, calm, happy, refreshed, and ready to play. My precious angel was back.

This incident made me think about my relationship with God. He always knows what I need and He always knows what’s best for me. But sometimes I’m stubborn and want to do things my way. When I am stressed, weary, overwhelmed, and think I can just keep going on my own, He is beside me—waiting patiently for me to yield to Him. He speaks softly and gently, calling me to rest in his open arms. When I surrender to Him and give Him my cares and concerns, I find refreshment and peace for my soul.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus gives us a promise: “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”  Are you weary or burdened today? Maybe it’s time for a nap!

Crystal Bowman