In Pursuit of Rest

As I sit here on my couch, drinking my coffee, listening to Hillsong’s new album, Aftermath, body aching.. I realize my deep need for rest. My body is swollen with pain from the damage I have recently done to it. This affliction of pain is due partially to my running 3 miles yesterday, but mostly because I rarely see the importance of stretching until the next day. Isn’t this so true of our flesh, that anything that takes effort, time, focused energy and we don’t see immediate results or value in, we dismiss. My body is angry with me this morning, but it is resilient.. it will heal. This all could have been avoided however, if I would have been willing to set aside time to stretch my muscles, to allow them to gradually cool down instead of come to a screeching halt, and continue on with my day.

I have this problem in another area in my life, and it’s called REST. Not to be confused with Sleep, but Rest. I have a difficult time allowing my body to Rest. I grew up pushing myself to it’s limit and then pushing some more, so the idea that I may want to allow my body some time to rest, seems foolish. The old antic I’ll sleep when I’m dead.. has applied to me much of my life. Over the last few years, God has shown me so much about Rest. Most importantly, God Values Rest and We should to. I’m not talking about veggin' out in front of the tv, that’s entertainment, not to be substituted for Rest.

To be Entertained is to be amused, to be occupied, or distracted even from "real life". There is nothing wrong with Entertainment, it has it’s place in our lives, but it is NOT rest.

Rest is freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility) a pause for relaxation peace, ease or refreshment. To pause from life, and allow yourself to be without activity, responsibility or work.

What does the Bible say about Rest?

God Created the Idea of Rest when he Created the world. In case you don’t know this, God doesn’t need rest, he is omnipotent, (all powerful, unlimited power). But, he set the standard for us, he set the example. IF God chose to rest, we should to. IF he values it, we should. Later, he set rest into the Law, (Exodus 20: 8-11), and told us to remember, (or honor) the Sabbath.

Why is rest so difficult for us?

1.) Rest requires we give up control:

We all strive to have control over our lives, to fit our lives into a neat tidy box, and pack it away. When it doesn’t work out the way we plan, it can be quite upsetting, and can make us uneasy, unsettled and unsure of our futures. This is a great time to rest and give control to God.

Matthew 6:25-27 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

Worry is a form of control. We may not be able to do anything about our circumstance besides worry about it, so we choose to think about it over and over and refuse to let it go.

2.) Rest requires trust: While we rest, we must Trust God to be in control. Resting requires us to stop, to stop trying to figure it out, to stop trying to do it ourselves, to stop striving. We must completely put our trust in God, and ALLOW HIM to have control in our lives. This is easier said then done! Many of us don’t even trust our spouses to change the baby’s diaper the right way, let alone trust God with our lives, with decisions, with our futures.

1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

3.) Rest Requires that we admit we can’t do it alone. We all seem to have that 2 year old child in us that screams: "I do it myself!!!!" Whenever we feel someone may try to help us, or when we begin to feel the pressures of this world build up, she comes out screaming and ranting!

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

God operates in Grace, giving to us what we don’t deserve. His salvation, a free gift that we are unable to earn, his joy and strength available to us freely when we ask; wisdom, given to those willing to ask for it. All we have to do is go to God. In our American minds, if it is a free gift it is not valuable. How many people have ever tried to GIVE something away? It’s like you are all of a sudden suspect of trying to poison someone because you offered them a candy bar, bottled water, or a free car wash. Now, go ahead and charge a couple dollars, and they’ll line up to buy that snickers. Why? We don’t want anything we don’t earn. We can do it ourselves, we don’t need handouts. Your pride will stand in the way of finding rest. Every gift that God gives is good, and free. All we have to do is ask.

So, today as I sit, I admit I struggle with this concept of scheduling rest in my life.. It may seem impossible at times to find the time and place for such an elusive ideal. But Rest is important to God, and it should be important to us. I commit to find rest today, I pray you do too.