Rest, What’s that?
Work, I get. It is familiar and mostly comfortable. Rest, however feels awkward, difficult and hardly feels satisfying.
The other side of work is REST. Both work and rest are amazing opportunities for worship. God has had me on a journey full of difficult twists and turns- learning how to depend on Him in my work, letting go of agendas, navigating through glory and repentance, and giving my roles to God as worship.
Genesis: 2:2
And on the 7th Day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the 7th day from all his work that he had done.
God rested.
We are finite creatures, unlike our Infinite God. He didn’t “need” rest, yet He rested. A whole day devoted to rest. He wasn’t weak or tired. He didn’t need to rest just to make it through to the next crazy busy week. What if God rested out of pure love for his people- as an example to show us how to worship Him also by resting?
We are mind, body, heart. Our bodies often rest first, but does our mind and soul?
I don’t rest well. Work is my default and rest is more difficult. I work until I “need” to rest. Rest is more of a necessity rather than discipline most of the time. Rest feels like pleasure and is far too infrequent. Yet, God calls me to rest – not as an optional survival method.
How many of us when we rest, take the moments to enjoy God? Our busyness is stilled and our soul finds satisfaction in refreshment of God? And when we experience this soul rest, we regret not resting more often? Exactly. That is why God established the Sabbath, to give us weekly opportunity to worship Him, with disciplined rest. Our bodies slow down long enough for our minds to be hearing the Lord, enjoy him, and be renewed.
We can rest, because we can trust God to take care of us.
Psalm 121 3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel –will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, – nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
The Lord does not sleep, he is constantly aware and watchful. We can rest because our Lord is caring for us. I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to calm down, take deep breaths, feel the warmth of my savior’s protection around me, and rest.
My soul rest is connected to my belief or unbelief. If I am anxious, I am not likely resting. If I am fearful, I am not likely to be calm.
God wants us to rest.
Learning to rest feels like work! This is a new thing for me, but I know God will continue to pursue my heart and I look forward to more restful moments with him. The unsatisfied feeling of rest can change. As God brings conviction and clarity, I am hopeful for continued calm and sweet rest.
