R-E-S-T. Four letters. One word. Filled With Promise.

Rest...four letters that form one little word, filled with promise, but overshadowed by impossibility. 

Why is rest so elusive to us?

Maybe you are a corporate woman with deals to make and meetings to run. Or, maybe you’re a mom with little ones, diapers, playdates, and laundry to the ceiling. ​Even if there are currently no little lives depending on you for existence, and you don’t have a corner office, I’m sure your days are filled with opportunities and obligations that keep you busy enough to crash when your head hits the pillow at night.

No matter what is written in our individual planners, the pace we keep, the social media we take in, and the pressure to push for more can leave each of us feeling soul-drained. ​

How Do We Find Rest? 

The best place to start any search is at the beginning. Genesis 1:1 tells us,

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

The following verses of the first chapter of Genesis reveal the breathtaking details of the six days in which God did His work of creation. And then, the God who never needs to take a break did just that...He stopped and He rested. In Genesis 2:1-3 we read,

“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them were finished. And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” ​

We know that the infinite, all-powerful God of the universe did not need to rest, but He established a day of rest, blessed it, and set it apart because we need rest. God set this pattern for His people. Work is good, valuable, noble, even; but we often fall into the trap of making work an idol. An idol is anything that takes the place only God should hold. If we closely examine our days, we may be surprised to find that instead of working to live, we live to work. This is not the design God created for us. 

As a matter of fact, one place that can live in a perpetual state of overwhelm is our mind. In both the Old and New Testaments, we see the Lord calling His children to rest.

He calls us to rest when we are anxious over the actions of others.

“Rest in the Lord; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass” (Psalm 37:7). 

And, He calls us to rest when we work hard and try to carry burdens we were not called to bear. ​

“Come to Me, all you 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).

I find it compelling that in both of those verses, rest is found in Him. He is our answer. Our elusive rest is found solely and completely in Jesus. 

Augustine of Hippo was correct when he said,

“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”

We’ve found the source of our rest, but how do we practice rest in Jesus?
In Psalm 23, David gives us a plan for finding rest in the Lord:

“The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me by the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).

If you are truly ready to rest, follow these simple steps and see if you notice a difference in your life:

Reach out to the Lord. David recognized the Lord as the Provider of rest and restoration. Ask God to help you rest your heart, mind, soul, and body in Him.

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Entrust yourself to His boundaries. David submitted to the place and provision of the Lord’s leading. Just like sheep following the shepherd, you and I need only look to what God puts in front of us to find peace and pleasure. ​

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Settle your heart in the Psalms. Begin reading in Psalm 23 and continue reading, allowing God to quiet you with His Word. Just like a sheep’s restlessness is soothed by the voice of his shepherd, God’s voice will soothe your heart. ​

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Take the time and stay for the time it takes. Stay until you know your soul has been refreshed. Blessing and satisfaction are found in resting in the Lord. Psalm 23:6 says,

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“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” 

As you begin to practice rest, make sure there are no distractions to pull you away:  

• Get away from the noise to a quiet place. 
• Hide your technology. (with the exception of worship music)
• Tell everyone you love that you are taking some time to rest.
• Leave the laundry or other chores that will tempt you away from rest.
• Silence all notifications for phone calls, texts, or emails.

A Prayer For Rest

Heavenly Father, 
My heart is heavy and my mind is full. I need Your rest. Will You please settle my heart and ease my mind. God, just like the shepherd from Psalm 23, I know Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leads me beside the still waters. God, I need this kind of refreshment. Please help me to ignore the distractions and look into Your Word while You speak Your peace into my life. Father, may I learn to come away with You on a regular basis. I pray I will be a person who delights in Your presence and who is satisfied with Your companionship. God, let me rest in You. ​

​In the name of Jesus, I pray, amen. 

How do you find rest?