RESTLESS LEGS

Restless Legs

by Ramona Furst

Like a dog gnawing a much loved bone or toy, I had tried for a period of time, to find out the reasons for my husband’s itchy and restless legs.

“Really, Ramona, why does it matter to you?” My husband’s words floated up and around him as he headed out of the bedroom and got ready for his work day.

I had been rather persistent with the barrage of: “Do you think your legs get this way after too much exercise? Or do you think it’s when you are over tired…or maybe its because you’ve been sitting at the computer too long?”

Eyes rolling and in a rather childish moment of frustration I stuck out my tongue behind my spouse’s retreating back.

I admit I am a light sleeper and noises can wake me up easily, so the groans of my husband could only be tolerated for so long, as well as his flailing legs and hands that came rearing out of nowhere to land mistakenly on my side of the bed or body!

Well, I’m happy to report that my husband finally gave ear to my complaints. With much encouragement, no I confess, it must have seemed to him nagging on my part, an appointment to the doctor’s office was made. This complaint and problem had a simple solution a muscle relaxer taken before bedtime. Soon both of us were sleeping and staying on our own sides of the bed.

I read Psalm 55 and of course I was hooked as I saw the words…”Attend to me…Answer me…I am restless…”  ESV

The bitterness and theme of betrayal in this Psalm doesn’t escape my attention, but what grips me is David’s relentless and maybe desperate pursuit of God in prayer. “Evening and morning and at noon…” in verse 17:

Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.

And then there is a subtle switch to a confidence in God, that maybe he had all along but finally gave wings and voiced it out loud. “He redeems my soul in safety…God will give ear…” in verses 18 and 19:

He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.

God will give ear and humble them,
he who is enthroned from of old

Like our choice to have some faith in our family doctor’s experience, God appears to want me daily to choose to give Him my burdens. The casting off of my cares and to be carefree, since I have given my heavenly father permission to do His work for and through me, is a choice that is required on a daily basis.

It’s all about my choice to trust God for today. When I begin to get a restless leg-like spirit it’s time for me to see if I have really given up all those cares to the Lord.

…. Or do I have something still clenched in my fist that I haven’t quite let go of?

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