I’m Not Good At Resting

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest….Matthew 11:28

Resting and waiting are two of my most challenging spiritual disciplines. I find it so difficult to sit back and wait, to rest and find enjoyment in being still. It is by far one of my biggest hang ups. Yet, here I am again, the Lord has been gently reminding me as I have been in prayer with Him, “Heather, you need to practice more rest if you want to hear from me.”

Part of me fears rest. It feels unproductive. Rest puts me in a place where I’m no longer in control. It forces me to deal with my fears, because all of my fears come rushing to the surface. My hang ups and struggles are revealed during times of rest and if I’m being totally honest, what I really want to do is get up and keep moving again so that I don’t have to sit in the discomfort of letting them go.

Friend, if you’re wondering why you’re not hearing clearly from God, it could be that your life is lacking rest. At least, that’s why I find is usually true of my life. As a busy mom, wife, leader, and employee I find myself wearing many hats throughout the day and it can be exhausting.

But if I don’t wear this hat, things will fall apart or something bad will happen. Those are all lies the devil tries to whisper into me. Yet, the Spirit leads me beside quiet waters where the Lord provides for me in a place of rest. Whenever I start to feel pressure that things will not succeed without my involvement in them, I have to put things into perspective and remind myself that the Lord holds all things together. I am the best wife, mom, leader and employee when I’m operating from a place of rest. Because my investment will have greater reward when I choose to let go of the things I feel like I need to control to let God grow them as I give them back to Him each day.

Lord, you know how I love to be busy. Forgive me for letting busyness be something I let sneak in far too much. I pray that I would submit myself to rest, even when I don’t want to. Help me to do that, I pray, in Jesus name, Amen.