I wrote this article in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. I pondered rhythm frequently during this time. Is there a rhythm to a pandemic? Is it our role to try and shorten it? To learn to live "a new normal" and hopefully someday to return to the old rhythm we knew? I'm not sure of the answers to those questions, but pondering them led me to a deeper understanding of the Law of Rhythm.
Every fall, as summer draws to a close, I begin to feel a bit restless. The lazy days, the vacations, the lack of a strict routine, which all felt so inviting just a few months previous, now feel wearing, and I long for the structure of the school year. The predictability. The routine. The security of knowing what to do and when to do it.
A few months later, I feel taxed by the rigidity of the routine I once longed for. It feels so never-ending, and my entire family longs for a break. By then, winter vacation is just around the bend, and we get the rest we long for.
It reminds me of what happens to the heart as we live from day to day. We have periods of activity and exercise, where the heart rate increases, sometimes for long stretches. And then we have periods of rest, where the heart rate slows. Both are necessary for health and longevity. We need to provide both exercise and adequate rest for our bodies. This natural, necessary change in pace is rhythm.
The law of rhythm states that everything is cyclical. Patterns repeat. All of nature moves together in harmonious cycles. We see it in the seasons. There is a season of creation and birth, a season of growth, a season of harvest, and a season of rest. And then the process starts again.
We are a part of these cycles and patterns. And we can move harmoniously with them, or we can make choices that keep us from finding the rhythm. It makes things feel out of step, like a drummer who can’t find the beat.
Have you ever watched a young child learn how to pump on a swing? Instead of relying on someone to give them a push, they learn to move their bodies to propel themselves forward and backward, reaching greater heights with each motion. But when a little kid is just learning how to do this, their bodies often work against them as they try to figure out the rhythm. They start to swing their legs back when they should be extending them forward. They lay back as they are going backward. It’s all part of the learning process, but note what happens with each contrary move: momentum slows dramatically. They might be trying so hard to get higher, but until they move in harmony with the natural movement of the swing, their actions will keep them close to the ground with little movement.
However, when the same young child finally understands and moves with the rhythm, she can reach exhilarating heights. Think of the implications for our own lives! When we ignore these natural rhythms and the cycles of life, we hinder our progress. Instead of powering through, instead of trying to cut the rhythms short or fight against them, if we just relax and find the rhythm, we will increase our power significantly.
Admittedly, this is the law I have probably struggled with the most. I can’t count how many times someone older and wiser has counseled me that my hard time is just a season, that I can’t do everything now because it’s not the right season. The busyness of a young family with small children was difficult for me, and I cried often because I couldn’t do or be everything I wanted because my life was filled with the constant daily care of home and family. Someone would smile lovingly and say, “There is a season for everything. And this season won’t last.” I’d smile back through my tears and say, “I know,” while seething in my mind and screaming to myself, that may be true, but this season stinks!
Learning to trust the seasons, though, is a process. I wanted to control my circumstances so much that I was completely out of sync with the rhythm. Finally letting go of my need to control and trusting God and His timing felt, honestly, like giving up. But it wasn’t. It was learning to be okay with what He has planned for me. It was learning to allow Him to keep His promises to me. It was trusting that if the things I really wanted were in accordance with God’s will for me, that they must still be on their way, and I could go on with my life, trusting Him to guide me to the greatest good for me and my family.
While we certainly can expect certain things from certain seasons (they operate, after all, by law), there are definitely interruptions that occur. These interruptions, too, have a rhythm that must be honored if we are to get the most from them. Think of what happens when a child breaks a bone. It is an interruption that must be addressed immediately, and the entire pattern of life is altered for a while. It becomes a season of healing. Certain things must be attended to in order for the healing to be quick and complete. Ignoring those things will only slow the process, and could hinder future growth and development.
Another example of an interruption to our expected rhythm is grief and mourning. No one wants to experience these rhythms, but they are a natural part of life that eventually come to us all. As we experience these rhythms, there are healthy ways to address them, and less healthy ways to address them. Ignoring the reality of the rhythm and the need for mourning and healing puts our emotional and physical health at risk.
A friend who recently lost her husband related an experience that happened following her husband’s funeral. Extended family members were visiting, and one of them mentioned the “low vibration” in the home. My friend was hurt. Her husband had just passed away! She was sad! Of course the vibration was low! As I listened to her story, I realized that this family member had some experience with the law of vibration, but was unaware of the law of rhythm. We can be in control of our vibration. Even in times of sadness or grief, we can experience a high vibration by focusing on love and gratitude. But rhythms are beyond a personal level. They exist within our circumstances. They are not up to us to change or control, but to be a part of.
Those discouraging rhythms often feel like they will last forever. Sometimes we feel like no matter what we try, we can't get out of the funk! But the law of rhythm states that these lows cannot last indefinitely. And it may not be within our power to control the length of the rhythm, any more than we can control the length of the seasons. But if we can stay in a place of love and gratitude, we will be ready for the shift when it comes. Someone who has been planning their garden all winter recognizes the early signs of spring sooner than the person who is merely waiting for warmer weather.
The best way to adapt to a difficult rhythm--and some of them are difficult--is to stay in a vibration of love and gratitude. When we trust that this is a particular rhythm that will add to the richness of our experience and ability to work with God and His laws, it becomes easier to find the rhythm. It’s like learning to dance with a Divine Partner, and trusting Him to lead us in a more beautiful, more intricate dance than we could ever imagine.
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