Work From Rest

You might say that sounds good. Work from rest, I like that, but how do we actually do that and even more important is that what the Bible calls us to do. Is that the Truth from God’s Word?

Let’s jump in! I truly believe we work from a place of rest. This is deeper than physical rest even though that is an important aspect - it’s soul rest. Trusting and resting in the finished work of Christ.

So how do we do this? It’s actually quite simple but it goes against our culture, our world, and often for many of us including myself what I naturally want to do but time and time again, the Lord in his graciousness reminds me to, “Be still and know I am God. I will be exalted in the heavens I will be exalted on the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Friends, did that say work, work, go, go and know that I am God? That’s what we would think. No, it’s be still and know that I am God.

Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.”

For me, this often feels too good to be true. Is Jesus really that good? Does He truly want us to come to Him? I have such a natural bent toward the idol of productivity, but I want to share a few rhythms I’ve learned that I incorporate into my time with God that will hopefully help you as they have me to lay down the idol of productivity.

Be still. Take some time each morning and be still and just listen to the Lord, acknowledging that he is God and you are not (Psalm 46:10), even if it’s while you’re driving to work or school. Maybe even say as Samuel said, “Here I am Lord, your servant is listening.

Search Me God. Pray to God and ask him to show you anything that doesn’t please Him or that He wants to change in you. Ask for forgiveness and repent for anything He shows you.

“Search me, O God, and know my Heart test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

Meditate. Instead of just reading scripture. Meditate, think on scripture. Don’t just read through it to check it off but instead savor it all day. Read it slowly and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Joshua 1:8 says, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Take a Sabbath (day of rest). Friends, did you know that Genesis 2:3 says, “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” I truly believe God loves us so much that He wanted to make sure we understood the importance of rest by not only telling us to rest but by giving us an example of rest, by resting Himself. If He Himself, the perfect, holy, sovereign King of the Universe rested. Then, as humans, who are made from dust, how prideful are we to think that we don’t need to rest.

Soul rest. These are all rhythms of rest. Soul rest, where we can acknowledge our weakness, limitedness, and instead of trying harder doing more, we can trust and rest in God’s sovereignty and know that from this place He will lead us to the work He has for us.

Trust. So much of resting in God is about TRUST. God calls us to trust Him even when it doesn’t make sense. Ponder this verse and in the next blog, we’re going to talk about what Trusting God has to do with resting in Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5

When we have more to do then we can possibly accomplish, resting seems like the last thing we should do or even want to do. It goes against everything in us and does not make sense to our limited, human minds. But remember God's ways are higher and His plans are better. (Isaiah 55:8) Sometimes to step into and live the John 10:10 abundant life God has for us, we have to lay down the idol of productivity and rest in him.

May Jesus say this of you and me daughter, “But only one thing is needed. Mary (insert your name) has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42