30 Days of Thankfulness ~ Day 1
Rest. Being Still...
This is a theme I felt God begin to speak to me about at the beginning of the year as what He had in store for me. I felt I was headed into a season of rest, of learning to be still before Him.
Rest. If you'd asked me what I thought that word meant at the beginning of the year I would have thought it meant emptying my plate of activities. Being less busy. Sleeping more (William was still nursing afterall - nights were hard!). Slowing down. And truly, that is part of the definition of rest - to "cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength." In many ways, I have experienced some of that the last few months. Yet, there has been a much deeper meaning to rest that I am only beginning to grasp.
Rest is also defined as "placing hope, trust or confidence on or in". This is what I needed to learn. What does it mean to rest in that way?
As you well know by now, I've been through a lot this year. And in many ways my life has felt more busy, at times almost in a tailspin. Yet, this finding rest - this having hope, trust, confidence - was possible because of who that hope, trust and confidence was in. Jesus. Does that seem too Sunday School answer? Maybe so? But it is truth, friend. And I hope if you are overwhelmed or tired or just plain busy with the cares of your life, that He will begin to flood you with the rest only found in Him. The more I rested - hoped, trusted, placed my confidence - in Him, the more I was able to find true rest - peace, relaxation, refreshing, recovery - even amidst the busy schedule, the constant perpetual motion of my life.
True rest is all wrapped up in Him. In His rest we find all we need. I am so thankful for this process of learning true rest. It isn't always easy to go there, sometimes it may even seem to cost a lot to go there, but that act of placing all of our hope, trust and confidence in Jesus, never fails to give us that reward of rest.
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
This is a theme I felt God begin to speak to me about at the beginning of the year as what He had in store for me. I felt I was headed into a season of rest, of learning to be still before Him.
Rest. If you'd asked me what I thought that word meant at the beginning of the year I would have thought it meant emptying my plate of activities. Being less busy. Sleeping more (William was still nursing afterall - nights were hard!). Slowing down. And truly, that is part of the definition of rest - to "cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength." In many ways, I have experienced some of that the last few months. Yet, there has been a much deeper meaning to rest that I am only beginning to grasp.
Rest is also defined as "placing hope, trust or confidence on or in". This is what I needed to learn. What does it mean to rest in that way?
As you well know by now, I've been through a lot this year. And in many ways my life has felt more busy, at times almost in a tailspin. Yet, this finding rest - this having hope, trust, confidence - was possible because of who that hope, trust and confidence was in. Jesus. Does that seem too Sunday School answer? Maybe so? But it is truth, friend. And I hope if you are overwhelmed or tired or just plain busy with the cares of your life, that He will begin to flood you with the rest only found in Him. The more I rested - hoped, trusted, placed my confidence - in Him, the more I was able to find true rest - peace, relaxation, refreshing, recovery - even amidst the busy schedule, the constant perpetual motion of my life.
True rest is all wrapped up in Him. In His rest we find all we need. I am so thankful for this process of learning true rest. It isn't always easy to go there, sometimes it may even seem to cost a lot to go there, but that act of placing all of our hope, trust and confidence in Jesus, never fails to give us that reward of rest.
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
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