I don't know about all of you, but I'm tired. Exhausted, really. I am a single mother raising two boys, the sole provider for my household, and an overly-attached nurse working 50 hrs a week. Somebody's daughter, sister, friend. For all intents and purposes, my life is pretty good compared to what it used to be. I should be smiling. I should be happy. I should be so much more than this... but all I really am, is tired.
So tired, in fact, that even the things that were once enjoyable for me, now feel like work. My hobbies, my down time, ...my faith. Yes, in a world that is whirling around me in fast-forward, whirring in it's white noise, I am finding it harder and harder to stay connected and committed to my relationship with God. There, I said it: I am far busier than He ever intended me to be. And for what?? Without Him in His closeness, I feel purposeless, disconnected, & discombobulated. When did I allow myself to become this busy?
The Bible speaks very highly of rest. We can trace it all the way back to creation. In Genesis 2, after creating ALL the universe, the Lord saw that His work was good and rested on the seventh day. I don't imagine that this was because our Almighty, all-powerful God was all tuckered out. I like to think He was giving us a gentle nudge toward a standard of living. We all have work that is required of us, but when the work is done, we should spend some time resting.
Rest does not come easily for us, especially in a world so obsessed with distraction. We've got to have more, do more, be more. And what should happen if we slow down? Will the world, as we know it, forget to turn? Will all things come to a screeching halt because we choose to indulge in a little R&R today? NO. This is why rest feels like a foreign concept to us. It goes against our grain. To rest means to slow down, in all capacities, and trust that God will take care of things for you.
The next verse that comes to mind, and probably the most obvious, is found in Matthew 11:28-30. "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
My initial reaction is, "I'm sorry, WHAT? Where is this elusive rest, this 'light burden'? And how do I get me some of that??"
...Aaand then I float back down to earth and remember... it's really not that complicated, resting in the Lord. The Lord did not create us to be anxious, busy, worried. We were created to be free, restored, and renewed. So how do we find the Lord's rest?
It begins with that trust I was talking about earlier. Do you believe, with all your heart, that God has got this? Do you trust that He will gladly bear the weight for you? Do you have faith that He will awaken you when the time is right? Then, "do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phil 4:6) Pray! Thank Him for His goodness. Thank Him for the trials. Thank Him for the blessings that come with a busy life - it could definitely be worse! Then, ask Him for those things you need, ask for rest. Listen closely for His voice. The rest will follow (no pun intended). This kind of rest eliminates all worry and fear. There is no anxiety in this rest. There is no striving forward, nor looking back. You simply rest in the presence of our Lord, knowing full well He has you covered. Close your eyes, breathe it in, and be thankful that we serve a God who loves us this much.
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