A few days ago, I was angry. I lashed out at God for slowing me down, for stripping away my routines, my busyness, and my constant discipline. I didn’t want to feel the discomfort within me—the boredom, pain , emptiness , the unfamiliar stillness. I was avoiding it all by pushing myself harder. But in that moment, something shifted. I realized the emptiness I was running from was actually a gift.

In this stillness, I began to see the beauty of my essential self. I felt the love of God in a way I never had before, in the space of doing nothing. God slowed me down so I could finally stop and listen—not just to Him, but to myself. He took away the noise, the distractions, the unnecessary burdens, and gave me something much more precious: peace.

I now understand that God doesn’t want me to fight or punish myself. He doesn’t want me to force myself into routines that only serve to make me feel “productive.” He wants me to rest, to be still, and to trust that everything is being taken care of. I don’t need to be anything other than who I am right now.

For the first time, I feel God’s unconditional love in the nothingness. I don’t need a title, approval, or anyone else’s validation. I am enough as I am. It’s in this peaceful detachment that real self-esteem grows. When we honor our bodies by resting, we honor our spirits as well. In doing so, we invite God’s wisdom into our lives.

Today, I’m no longer rushing into punishing routines. I’ve learned to embrace the quiet moments and the beauty of simply being. God speaks in the stillness, filling us with fresh insights, dreams, and plans. All we need to do is slow down, let go, and listen.