Thursday, September 1, 2016

Finding Rest for Your Soul

Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you. 
Ps. 116: 7

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of modern life, how do we find rest?  How do we experience peace?  Even if we know, and I mean really know, that the Lord has been good to us, how do we translate that into peace?

I begin with too many questions.  This week I have been struggling with the effects of Shingles and an elevated blood pressure that I can't just will down.  I know I need to rest.  I know I need to trust.  I know the Lord has been and will continue to be good to me.  Yet, how do I do it with all the church planting plans and the rest of my busy life?

The First Step Toward Change: Admit There is a Problem

I think many of us don't get enough rest because we don't really want to slow down.  There is an excitement with being busy.  There is a feeling of importance for being constantly on the go and in demand.  The pull of busyness is more important to us than finding peace and rest in the gospel.

Sounds harsh doesn't it?  Yet, I think each of us have to reflect upon our lives.  We need to prayerfully consider that we are overly busy because we like being overly busy.

Do you think to yourself, "I will slow down when ...."  "I can't possibly stop or slow down until ...."  Why is this project or whatever activity so important?  Maybe your busyness is just a season of life thing.  After another six months, you will be able to find rest.  Most likely six months from now will find us in the midst of another "busy" season of life.

You see, unless you really want to pursue rest, you will not find it.  If you are not deliberate, you will re-fill your life with other activities, other priorities, and other sources of stress.  You must pursue finding rest by consciously moving away from filling your thoughts and your heart with different activities and loves.

Step 2: Re-establish the Gospel in your focus

This past week at Christ Community, we offered a reassurance of pardon from the Heidelberg Catechism question 60.  It ends with, "All that I need to do is accept this gift of God with a believing heart."

Wow!  How do we accept the great news of the Gospel (the rest of question 60's answer) with a believing heart?

I believe it is a matter of prayer.  It is also a matter of focus.  Meditate upon the promises of God's grace.  Reflect upon what Jesus has done for you.  Pray that God will make it real.

Notice, all of this implies that we must change our focus from harried activity to reflecting upon God's promises.  We cannot "accept this gift of God" if we don't know the gift.  We cannot rest unless we find something to rest in.  The promise is that we can rest in God's sovereign love found in Jesus.

As we start a new season, why not try it?  You are a highly competent person.  Why not take some of that focus and drive that you are putting to so many other activities and apply it to reflecting upon  and resting in Jesus?  Pick up the Heidelberg Catechism and use it as a devotional.  Use it to focus your mind on the promises of God.

Lord knows we all need it!


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