The Power of Trust in Your Faith JourneySample

Rest: Have You Given Your Yes to Rest

We often don’t associate rest with growth, but any physical trainer will tell you that effective muscle-building requires rest. I was once told, "You can’t have restoration without rest." After all, rest is part of the word itself. By definition, rest means to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh, or recover strength.

As women and men with so many titles, so much to do, so much destiny to fulfill, and so many promises, we are trying to secure; it can be challenging for us to posture and position ourselves in the principle and commandment of rest. Trying to do it all, then at the end of the busy cycle, we find ourselves saying, “Whew, child, I’m tired.” We might have even echoed the sentiments of Tamela Mann’s poignant lyrics, “Truth is I’m tired! Options are few. I’ve tried to pray, but where are You? I’m all burnt out, hurt, and abused.” Finding ourselves in need of God to restore our energy and capacity. Regardless of how you’ve voiced your fatigue and weariness, remember that God is calling you to embrace a life-giving rhythm of rest.

We often see the commandment of rest as a stumbling block to our success and progress. But rest is not just a commandment but a means to sustain, rebuild, renew, and expand our capacity and push forward our progress. We should continuously operate from a place of rest. When we truly learn to rest, we can more effectively trust in God’s power to do what only He can once we’ve done our part.

There are aspects of God's work that can only unfold when we are at rest. This applies both physically and spiritually. Some of God’s greatest creations and promises were birthed in the place and posture of rest. If you need proof, look back at the story of God’s creation of women. The Bible says in Genesis 2:21-22 the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. While he slept, God took one of Adam’s ribs and created a woman from it. God made His promise to Adam in this state of rest. If you haven’t experienced the peace and promises of God, it may be because you haven’t learned to rest. So many of us struggle not just to rest physically but spiritually in our ability to rest in God. What if your spiritual growth depends on your ability to embrace rest? Rest is not just a physical necessity but a spiritual one that can lead to profound growth and connection with God.

The truth that we don’t often highlight is that rest is a weapon. Rest is a safeguard against the warfare of weariness. Sometimes, our lack of rest causes our weariness, diminishes our passions, and affects our mental, physical, and spiritual health. The weary soul is often the unrested soul. We so frequently allow the idol of work, ambition, and the thought of securing the bag to rob us of our promise and the obedience to rest. Sometimes, we look at rest and only see what it limits us from instead of what it empowers us to do.

Tapping into the commandment of rest is necessary to give us longevity and propel us into purpose. This is our way of saying God, I trust you. Some of our potential is locked up in our inability to rest. I challenge you to assess what needs to be set aside to allow yourself time for rest and recovery in the secret places of prayer and devotion. Take a moment to reflect on your rest habits and consider what changes you can make to prioritize rest and trust in God.

Questions:

• Have you honored the commandment of rest? How does rest need to show up in your life?
• How and where has the lack of rest limited your potential?
• If you look at your life, do your rest habits reflect someone who trusts God?

Written by Minister Myriah Spencer