Rest

For about nine months I have had people that I cherish tell me that a season of rest was coming for me. I would hear what they told me and say on the inside, “May it be so!” A couple of months would go by and no season of rest. But then another person would say, “God has a season of rest for you soon.” And the same routine would happen again. A couple of months would go by and no season of rest seemed to come. It went on like this for nine months.

Then my body literally forced me to stop. I found myself laughing the other day when I realized that I am in that season of rest! It was definitely a forced time of rest at the beginning because I had to readjust everything. Now it is a season I am treasuring and holding close to my heart.

After working through the initial guilt I felt by having to let certain things go in order to rest, I was able to refocus. This refocus has helped me place proper value on what is most important. It also has allowed me to reflect on the past years of ministry and life to see how God carried me through. My body had been placed in a state of exhaustion due to several different factors for a couple of years. There was a season before this time where things were intense for so long that I almost forgot what rest looked and felt like. Even though I still did my best to take a Sabbath day it still was an intense season.

I am not just talking about the occasional nap here and there. What I mean is that even if a large wave comes your way, you are still able to rest and maintain this calm deep within you rather than getting swept up in the large wave to crash along with it. This is my season of rest. It is a season that I have learned so much from so far. Even as things may remain intense, God has been revealing to me how to have his perspective.

He is showing me how to truly rest.

In his rest, one must become vulnerable. You have to lay everything that you are at his feet. You must place your complete trust in him.

I have found that as I have physically rested as well as mentally and spiritually followed suit, it has caused me to be more efficient. It has shown me that stepping back can be good as long as I am empowering those around me. It has revealed things within me that God wants to change or enhance and make stronger. As I have had to postpone certain projects for my body to heal, the time of refocus has helped me to hone in on major dreams and goals.

Excitement and sweet anticipation for the things in ministry as well as my personal life keeps growing. It has grown to a point where I feel like I am about to burst from the seams.

My heart is full of gratefulness!

I may miss my Mom and what our family once was but I am thankful for those precious moments that shaped who I am now. I may pray earnestly into heartbreaking situations day after day with no end in sight, yet he is my source of joy and hope. Life is hard. That is just life. To be a woman of grit, I cannot be a pansy. I cannot get caught up in the things that may cause my heart to drop. Because despite circumstances our God is mighty and he never changes! His love penetrates to our core and transforms us. His power moves mountains. He is trustworthy and always has us hedged beneath his wings. Just looking into his eyes captivates me. He knows me. He knows my heart. He knows that I want him and only him.

I work hard for him.

Now I understand that I rest for him as well.

Now dear reader, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with our great God wrapped up in a blanket (or on a floating device in your backyard swimming pool), with the intention to place your life at his feet. In the quiet you will hear his voice. As you read the pages of his word they will indeed become more alive and active in your life.

Rest.

 

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