| “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31a TLB |
| I rarely see a field lie fallow anymore. Some of the fields around my home even have two crops a year—winter wheat and soybeans. Most farmers use the latest fertilizers to quickly replenish the depleted soil.
When I was young, it was normal for farmers to let a field lie dormant. While it appeared to be an unproductive habit, they understood the benefit of a fallow field; the soil would revitalize as it slowly accumulated the needed moisture and nutrients. The time of waiting would yield a better harvest in the future. Like the fields lying fallow, when I purposefully slowed down and put my life on hold after my divorce and all the changes it brought, my exhausted resources were slowly, almost imperceptibly restored. To become “emotionally fallow” means to create the time and space needed to heal. It means saying no to the little things that crowd out grief. Rather than a time to achieve, produce, and perform, I allowed the space to cry, reflect, or write my thoughts and feelings. While we may be tempted to think we just need to “snap out of it” or “get over it,” the truth is healing can’t be hurried. Even if we have to work harder to supply our basic needs, it’s important to give ourselves time to rest and renew emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Just like the soil in a fallow field, the time of waiting will result in a better harvest one day in the future. |
