Wrestling with Rest

Rest

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep. Psalm 127:1-2

In the beginning

Over the years I have wrestled with rest, a bit like a toddler who's tired but won't give in and just go to sleep. 😊

But there's also another kind of rest; one that the manic world in which we live in is at odds with. This type of rest requires for us to be still, to be quiet and to trust.

The book of Genesis shows us that God rested and continued in the Sabbath rest on the seventh day after completing His work of creation.

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.

Genesis 2:2

I have observed over the years what rest looks like in my culture and community, and this has raised many questions for me concerning the Sabbath. I’ve asked the Lord what the Sabbath could look like for our household in this day and age, with the busyness and responsibilities of life. I’ve considered moving countries, changing my lifestyle, having a set day to rest, to pray and spend time with the Lord. I’ve observed my sleep patterns, what I do during the day that affects my night. What I eat, what I watch, how I move/exercise, etc. In all the questioning, seeking and meditating, it feels I’ve walked and walked and ended right back at the beginning...

Even God rested

We see and feel the effects of rest through the way we look, how our minds feel and how our bodies heal. Optimal rest can be measured by our mood, how patient we are, how focussed we are and how much energy we have.  How can we achieve that true, consistent rest, where our minds are not racing ahead, thinking of a million different things in five seconds? How can we remain in a place where inner conflict, anxiety and worry are absent and our minds are constantly relaxed, like when we’re on holiday? How do we have that type of rest every day?

True Rest

I believe that we can only have true rest by knowing and trusting God. When we know HIm, His word and His ways, we can be assured that Jesus has gone ahead of us and taken care of everything already. When we enter into the kingdom, we enter into His rest.

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as god did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

Hebrews 4:9-11

We can rest in Jesus because the work is complete in Him; His life was laid down for that very purpose. We don’t need to strive anymore; we don’t need to be in control anymore; we don’t need to carry the burdens anymore, it is finished. Jesus was willing and able take on everything for us.  All we need to do is trust He is who He says He is, believe He will do what He says He will do and surrender all. Every burden, every worry, all of our pain, all of our plans, our children, our husbands, our wives, our work, our finances, our service to Him and others, our relationships, our studies, our health. Whatever it is that we are holding onto, as we surrender all and enter the place of true rest, through the love of God we can receive His peace, provision and protection.

Rest, I have come to realise is not a state of doing or not doing, but of trusting; trusting God, His plan, His purpose, His will.

One of our bodies secret weapons is not just rest in terms of sleep; it’s about resting the mind. Through our trust in Jesus we can ‘rest assured’ that He has gone ahead already and has everything under control.

Take 20

To help with rest I began to 'take twenty', which has helped me over the years. When I speak with clients and friends I mention how taking twenty minutes each day to do something for myself has helped me to learn to rest.

You could take twenty minutes each day just to enjoy God's presence. This may help you to take your mind off things that may wind you up and focus on things that wind you down. Think of things that you enjoy and that you find relaxing such as:

• Exercise

• Reading

• Playing an instrument

• Listening to music

• Meditating on the word

• Writing

• Journaling

• Dancing

• Singing

• Walking

• Playing games

• Breathing deeply

• Drawing

• Learning something new such as a language, knitting, sewing, painting, etc

When our bodies are not in fight or flight or hunter-gatherer mode (busy, high-alert, nervous, etc) but in a relaxed state, we are in a place of rest where creativity and spiritual connectivity can take place more easily.