Ah Rest – so elusive, so needed, so wanted. I think this goes along with what I said about being task oriented. There is always more to do, more I should do, more I have to do or at least think I do. So taking time to rest, I mean really, truly rest, is hard. I feel guilty. So I “rest” by doing something else, reading, walking, something, anything.
So maybe I’m really confessing to being driven, letting guilt dictate what I’m doing. Hmmm, where is this coming from? And as I’ve talked with others, this is a common affliction. So why, when God clearly designed us to rest 1 in 7 days, don’t we? I find I’m no longer sure even how to do it.
Will learning to rest mean a major change in my life? I suspect so.
I’m reading an interesting book by Mary Andrews-Dalbey called “The REST of your life”. I’ll keep you posted on insights I gain.
I’m also coming to believe that rest is connected to trusting God. Jesus said He came to give us rest. Rest from trying to prove we are good enough for God to accept us (can’t be done, by the way). So if I’m driven, why? Does it go back to worrying about what others will think? And this guilt, I think it does as well.
So here is another opportunity for repentance. (Repentance isn’t much more than agreeing with God that He is right and I’m not. No big surprise there, right?) And an opportunity to ask God what is underlying this. It is quite likely to be different in each of us. So, since God does want us to rest, He will provide what we need to do so if we ask. He said we don’t have because we don’t ask. So I’m asking, how about you?
Until next time, get some rest. That’s an order!
Tags: asking God · Guilt · hearing God · repentance · Rest · task driven2 Comments
Manage your energy so that you can rest…..and “enjoy ” the process. It’s good for your soul!
There, you asked. Believe that you have been heard!
[...] blog last week on Rest – Why is it so hard? stirred some lively discussions. Most could definitely relate. A couple of folks couldn’t. For [...]