Learn to Rest, to Receive the Lord’s Blessing
The conversation might go something like this:
(Person 1) “What have you done today?”
(Person 2) “Well, I have been terribly busy. I have . . .” What follows is a litany of the numerous items done throughout the day. It is as if we prove our worth in “doing” tasks. I must admit: This rings true for me. Why do we feel the need to explain what we have chosen to accomplish during our days, as if we are attempting to show the world that we are productive DO-ERS? And Whatever happened to the state of resting, of being satisfied to just BE?
In our culture, we celebrate productivity. This is especially true in the life of an educator. During the summer, we break from our work, we stop grading compositions, we stop teaching lessons, we stop instructing students, and we enjoy a respite. However, as DO-ERS, we internally wrestle with the lack of doing, of busyness. We live within a world that seems to look down on the STOPPAGE of WORK, that it is somehow a bad habit or a sign of laziness. It is not. The Scriptures remind us how RESTING is a gift of God, a commandment, and a promise of His beautiful care as we learn to enjoy a Sabbath rest.
For a moment, let us explore the thought—Resting in the Lord is a spiritual strength we grow into within our faith-walk with God. This is the goal of life.
“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection
(The Letter of Paul to the Philippians 3: 10-11 NASB)
and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being conformed to His death;
in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
The apostle Paul spoke about “those things” that we count as gain and loss. We look at those with educational degrees, with heritage, with confidence, with position, with . . . as having gained the best of life. The opposite is true. “the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” is the ultimate gain. Faith in Christ is supreme. Serving God and sacrificing self is everything. “being conformed to His death; . . .” reigns as the pinnacle of life; it is the highest goal.
So, we ask:
- How do these “goals” relate to resting in the Lord? &
- How does the “stopping” of our work for a season to seek God, to be with Him, to walk in His way bring His promised blessing?
Our world celebrates busyness, accomplishing, producing, but the Word of God invites us to be still and know the Lord. As we “rest in the Lord,” we are being:
Restored, Renewed, Calmed, and Taught the goodness of God.
Might we learn to pray, seeking the Father:
Lord,
Teach us to wait on You, not passively sitting by, doing nothing, but TRUSTING in YOU, but SEEKING YOU, and moment-by-moment PRAYING. Help us to learn during our seasons of RESTING in YOU to trust You, Lord. Help us be patient with the process and with the Lord’s teaching, for You promise to hear our cries, our prayers, to really hear our hearts and to work for our good. Lord, we want to know the power of Your resurrection and participate in Your suffering, as we become more like You in death to myself and attain more of You through Your resurrection from the dead.
We do trust You, love You, and place our faith in YOU, LORD.
As the psalmist David wrote, help us to learn to—
“Wait for the LORD;
(The Psalms 27: 14 NASB)
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.”
Teach us to learn to rest in You and help us to receive Your blessing.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.