“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
Resting and resetting seem like such simple concepts. If something is losing its steam then we naturally know we need to refuel it. Your car needs gas to go. Our phones need to be charged. But as people living in this busy day and age, it is so hard for us to rest so that we can refuel or recharge. We live in a “do it yourself” era and a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” nation and we are programmed to believe that we shouldn’t slow down or seek help from others.
How many times as women have we said; “Oh never mind, I’ll do it myself?”
But God in all his wisdom knew of the foolishness of humans and how we’d attempt to take on each day in our own strength. He knew how we’d go and go until we were burnt out, and he knew about all of the physical and mental health repercussions this would have. And this why he calls for us to rest in him.
Steps To Resting In Lord
1) Learn To Exercise Faith
This is one of the hardest steps because it requires a trust in things that are not always tangible. We rely so heavily on the tangible to meet our needs daily that it is difficult to trust in God when those physical things are taken away. But if you were to stop and think about different times in which you were at low points and somehow made it through, I’m sure you would have a testimony of how God showed up in your life when you needed him. That same God that showed up for you in the past is constant and able to bring you through any new challenges that you are facing. But it is important to have faith that he is able.
2) Work Toward Developing Spiritual Discipline
You will have to renew your mind and develop spiritual discipline in order to fully learn to rest in the Lord. Everything around us tells us that we have to keep pushing ourselves until we physically can’t anymore. It becomes second nature to think that we can do everything on our own and that we don’t need to rely on anyone else. But this is a toxic way of thinking and God did not intend for us to take on the weight of the world alone. The Lord specifically says:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
It is important that we read scriptures like these that remind us of how God intends us to face life’s burdens that seem too heavy to carry so that we can be reminded that we are meant to trust and rest in God and allow him to move in our lives.
3) Practice Resting In God Before A Crisis Hits
We should not get in a habit of only seeking out the Lord when we are at a low point or when we need a miracle. This is not what God intended for us. He is capable of providing divine peace that surpasses all understanding but you can seek that peace on a daily basis as you move toward developing a closer relationship with him. Developing a relationship with God that only consists of you seeking something from him and then him providing it, develops into a very shallow relationship.
How would you feel about someone that only came to you when they needed something from you but never took the time to develop a bond with you further? You’d eventually feel used and get burnt out from the relationship. While God will never get burnt out because he is not bound by Earthly limitations, the basis of a healthy relationship with him are still similar. We need to seek daily fellowship with him through reading the Bible, listening to sermons or music, prayer, journaling, however feels most natural for you. Build this bond so that you truly know who it is you are seeking refuge in.
Take time today to take a break from outside influences. Put down your To-do list and just breathe. Bring your concerns for the week ahead to God and refresh with an act of self-care. And although those burdens may not completely leave your heart instantly, practice trusting that the God of the universe can carry whatever it is that is too heavy for you to take on alone. ❤️
Winging It 