Being restless

"rest yourselves"

Genesis 18:4

I'm thinking about rest again.  Seems that topic is on my mind every few weeks.  I guess life is busy sometimes...

But now I'm thinking about rest because I have a friend who needs it.  She's been walking something difficult for awhile now, and she said something about rest the other day.  And it got me to thinking about all the different things that might have us needing rest... the kind of rest only He can give.

I always think about needing rest when it comes to physical exhaustion.  As in, needing sleep.  A busy body (and I don't mean a "busybody", just that running around doing activities, or working, makes a body tired), or a busy mind {anybody else out there who sometimes can't make their mind stop going?} can make you feel desperate for sleep, or even just a few minutes slumped in a chair.  That's the kind of rest I find myself wanting most often.

But sometimes what we need rest from is a trial we're going through.  That's spiritual rest.  And it can be tricky to get, especially if our only definition for rest is:  an end to the trial.  We forget ~ or maybe don't even realize ~ that we can have rest even in the midst of a trial, if we just acknowledge that it's possible.   I have a friend who was complaining a few weeks ago about a trial that seemed never-ending, but sometimes I think what we believe is a very long trial, is just life.  If something goes wrong today, and then something goes wrong tomorrow, are those things related?  Is that one long trial, or two short ones?  Perspective makes a difference.  He warned us there would be tribulation in life.  But He also promised us that we could have peace, in Him.  So whether it's a long trial, or a bunch of short ones too close together, rest is needed.

The other thing that can cause need for rest, is attacks from others.  Criticism, judgement, someone else's sins or mistakes... they  might be aimed at you, or you might just be caught in the "crossfire".  Either way, it can feel never-ending.  And this is a dangerous, because without rest; without time to center ourselves in Him; without a chance to remember that we are in His hands, we can become bitter, judgmental, or unforgiving. 

Opportunities for rest don't always present themselves.  Sometimes ~ most of the time, I think ~ we have to claim them.  Call it refocusing, call it taking a break.  It's a gift from Him, and it's yours for the taking.

Prayer is a good way, but I think, even better than that, is reading the Bible.  I don't know about you, but my mind is a little too prone to wandering if I just pray without Scripture to keep me on track.

The other danger with prayer alone is that it can be very self-focused.  Think about it:  when you come to Him to unburden your heart, then it's gonna be about you ~ how you feel; what you need, etc.

But Scripture is about Him.  So it puts our minds on Him.  Even in times of trouble or weariness, the focus needs to be not that I need refuge, but that He is my refuge.

Rest is found in Him.  So if you're looking for rest, look to Him.

~ "And He said, 

'My Presence will go with you,

     and I will give you rest' " ~

Exodus 33:14