For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
My journey with the Lord has taken many twists and turns over the years. I've learned many lessons and relearned many more. As I reflect upon these things, one of the greatest lessons that I have learned (and continue to learn) is that of rest. Of all the "disciplines" that we hear about in the Christian faith, rarely do we hear people talking about rest. I'm discovering that there is great power and great peace that comes from fully trusting in the Lord.
Rest is all about trust. It's trusting the Lord for salvation. Trusting the Lord for provision. Trusting the Lord for protection. And quite honestly, trusting the Lord for everything. Jesus promised those who were weary and heavy laden that if they would come to Him - He would give them rest. It would do each of us some good to live in it.
Listen to the words of the psalmist. Hear how he has come to know the faithfulness of the Lord. Even though he is going through great difficulty, he is reminding himself and others to place their confidence in God. When you and I learn what can be accomplished through rest then we will find God to be the refuge that the Word of God declares.
Have you ever wondered how Jesus could sleep in a storm while all the disciples were panicking? It's called rest.
Why were the disciples so concerned about Jesus feeding the 5,000 while He was fully confident? It's called rest.
How is it possible to endure the beatings and suffering of the Cross and still forgive those who are putting you through such pain? It's called rest.
You see, Jesus' confidence wasn't in the weather, His own provision, or His own deliverance. He fully trusted God. Therefore, He was able to enter into every situation confident in what God could do and had the clarity of mind to hear the voice of God.
That my friends is what each of us need to claim for ourselves. When we learn to rest in the Lord, we will have full assurance as well. It will keep us from over-thinking a situation. It will keep us from struggling to hear His voice. We will discover that God doesn't stop speaking, doesn't stop moving, and doesn't stop working on our behalf. We will be able to move from hope - to faith - to sight simply by learning to rest in Him. It's crucial that we learn this lesson.
In the book of Acts we read about Peter and John going through some persecution after the lame man was healed. Upon returning to the other disciples, they gather in a house to pray. Not once do you hear them complaining. You will not read about their anxiety. They simply asked that the Lord would look upon the threats and grant them boldness to continue in all the Lord was leading. Think they learned something from their Master? Think the indwelling Holy Spirit provided some confidence in the midst of difficulty? Think they found God to be faithful and reliable in their lives? I believe so. And their example of resting in the Lord serves as a wonderful reminder to me that God has got this covered.
Resting in the Lord doesn't mean that I stop working for Him. It doesn't mean that I do not labor. It means that in the midst of what I'm doing that I am assured of His ability over mine. I don't have to make things happen. I don't have to figure out all the solutions. I don't have to get God (or myself) out of a jam. I can take a deep breath, pray a simple prayer, and release myself from the burden. I can say with David, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul."
If there is some encouragement I can bring to you it would be this: Stop Striving, Learn to Rest in Him, & Enjoy the Journey.
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