Rest for the Weary

My reaction to stress is very much like that of an opossum – sleep! When my stress level goes up, the covers go over my head. I want rest. I crave rest. But so often I go to the wrong place to find that rest.
A nap, scrolling through facebook, a great cup of coffee, chocolate, even an amazing vacation- while all fine and sometimes great and necessary things- are still only temporary sources of rest.  And often leaving me wanting more, or feeling guilty about time wasted, calories gained, or money spent.
The only source of true rest, lasting rest, no-strings attached rest, is found in God alone.
But what does that mean? How do we rest in God?
We sit quietly in His Presence. We read from His Word.
We talk to Him. We listen to songs about Him. We join in those songs.
We memorize verses and ponder them. We ask Him to reveal Himself to us.
We stand on His promises. We trust in His Son.
We allow Him to mend our brokenness and then we follow Him.
We view this world through the lens of His Word.
Things in this world will not always make sense to us because we are looking at them from our limited perspective. True rest comes from trusting in the One who can see all of history with but a glance.
True rest is found in the arms of the One who made you, who knows you, and who loves you more than you could ever imagine.
Our rest, our salvation, cannot be found in a presidential candidate (to which we all say Amen!), it cannot be found in material success, it cannot be found in health, or even a great vacation.
True rest, real hope, and eternal salvation can only be found in God- by trusting in His Son, and by standing firm on His Word.
“Lord, we long for the rest only You can give. Our days are filled with stress, to-do lists, and fears about the future. Be our rest in the midst of life’s demands. Show us how to rest in You today by standing on Your Word and holding tight to Your hand. “
Much love,
Jen