Delighting in GodSample

Delight in God's Rest

The Hebrew root for the word "rest" means "to cease, to be silent, or submit in silence to what He ordains."

Submitting in silence is not our typical understanding of the word "rest." More often, we think of it as an escape from the busy pressures of life. Perhaps a vacation, an afternoon nap, or maybe simply not working for a few moments is what we think of when we "take a rest." Rest is something that is elusive in our hurried, stressful lives. We are not patient people; we are geared to quick actions, instant solutions, and moving on to the next responsibility. Rest does not come easy for me. I identify with the admonition in Hebrews 4:11, "Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest." I tend to believe that I need to help God find solutions to my problems, but I find the more I let go and trust God, the more peace and rest I experience.

Rest isn't copping out. Rest is a confident assurance that God is in control. Rest is what we experience when we learn to commit our problems to the Lord. Rest is what happens when we trust in the Lord and lean hard on His promises. Rest is the result of delighting in the Lord: Daily Everything Laid Into God's Hands Totally.

"Resting in the Lord" means to wait in a state of Relaxed Readiness with Enthusiastic Expectations and Steady Satisfaction for Triumph over my Troubles.

I have found these steps from Psalm 37 have revolutionized my way of facing and handling whatever challenges life may throw my way. I pray you will also learn to Commit all your challenges to the Lord. Trust Him to take what you commit to Him and work it out for your very best. Let your worries go as you begin to Delight in the Lord by Daily Everything Laid Into God's Hands Totally. Then, you will find yourself living in the Rest of the Lord.

--Betty Southard, Author, Conference speaker, Newport Beach, CA