Finding Rest for My Soulနမူနာ

So, What is True Rest?

Rest. That sounds so good, but it’s such a difficult concept for many of us.  Personally, I have to really work hard at it.  Even when my body is at rest, my mind is usually racing.  A few years back, I used “REST” as my word for the year and tried hard to learn how to accomplish it, but realized how comical (probably to God as much as myself) my efforts were.  Rest defined is “to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength,” or another version of the definition is “to be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position.”  

In alignment with the first definition, I started limiting my calendar commitments. In order to seek this elusive rest, I would find myself sitting and staring out a window with spare time for thinking. Much to my disappointment, my racing mind would think about all the things that I was not accomplishing by sitting there. Even if I was sitting still, in my mind I was running at full pace ahead on the mental treadmill. Thinking that my identity was in my performance, I had historically filled my days with activity. I was doing so much “good for God” and could prove it to Him with my busy calendar. My performance mentality was a lie full of exhaustion. 

So, then I moved to the second definition: “to be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position.” I definitely wanted to live from a new position. A position of DEEP rest within my soul. This “specified position”! This would require me to live from a place of deeper trust than I had ever lived before. Learning a greater level of trust in the TRUSTWORTHY One allowed me to live FROM God, and who He is, rather than FOR God from who I am. This would be a game-changer for my days as my rest and my hope comes from Him alone. It continues to be a great “letting go” so that I can hold on. A dying to live. A place of freedom and peace.

Ponder:

Consider whether you are living a life of true peace from a place of rest in your soul.

Prayer:

O Lord, help my soul find rest in You alone.  Empty me of myself so that You can live through me instead of me living for You.