The Princess and the Pea

Carol Condon
carolcondon5@aol.com


She was so exhausted as she finally retired to her bedchamber for the night. The eager desire to sink onto her mattress and pull the plush comforter around her began to consume her. The nights were accumulating that were full of tossing and turning. Maybe tonight would be the night that she would reach the deep slumber that would last throughout the night.

The princess had always loved her bed, but it had recently become a place of extreme discomfort. After days of adorning dark circles beneath her eyes, an investigation was underway. Upon close inspection of her beloved stack of mattresses, a simple pea lay tucked between them. Surely this small, tiny object was not to blame for the countless hours of lost sleep. However, after the removal of the small vegetable her sleep was once again complete without any interruptions.

We have an all-consuming desire to be all we can be for the Lord and the work to be done for His Kingdom. As we are giving “our all” we so often find ourselves entering into a state of exhaustion. It initiates small. So small that many times it is hard to remember how or when it originated. Before long it becomes apparent to those around us that we are in a state of unrest.

The realization comes to us as we begin losing control of our purpose and ministry. Because of the weariness that has crept into our spirit, those around us begin to detect the early signs of our “burnout.”

As we begin an inspection of our mind and spirit we find a tiny disappointment here and an occasion of offence there. Just a small “pea” that happened to get tucked in along the way. Surely this small item is not resulting in so much inner turmoil!

When we take the time to enter into His rest and permit Him to order our steps and to help us correct the wrong feelings that we have allowed to seep into our spirit, we find ourselves renewed, refreshed, and about our Father’s business.

I wonder how differently the story would have been written had the princess excused the “pea” as just being too small to cause such an interruption of her rest. Our purpose is too great to allow anything; no matter of the size, to interrupt our expedition into His calling that He has placed upon us.