Rest for Our Souls

Originally posted on September 30, 2011

Wednesday night at the Titus 2:4 class, we heard from Angie Graves.  She shared on the topic of being worn out.  We watched one of Angela Thomas's videos from her series Brave, which was very insightful on the topic of feeling worn out.

Although I've never read of God telling a joke in the Bible, He sure must have a sense of humor!  Of all the topics, I would get to write on feeling worn out.  I don't know if I've ever felt as worn out as I do right now.  It would wear you out if I just listed all the reasons why I personally feel worn out, so I will spare the details.  :)  We all have reasons to be worn out. God however does not.

Isaiah 40:28 - 31 says:

"Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

When we are overwhelmed, tired, weak, frustrated, and weary, really the best thing, if not the only thing, we can do to renew our strength is go to God for refreshment.  Like Angela mentioned in her video, there are plenty of other things that we could do that are nice and temporarily bring relief, like a pedicure, for example.  But only One will really satisfy.

As Christians, Scripture says we are like branches attached to a vine, and the vine is Jesus, and the Gardener is God the Father.  As we grow, our branches grow, spread out, produce fruit and leaves, and eventually pieces of our branch will die back, and we will need to be pruned for the next growth cycle.  It is a continuous process:  growing, producing, pruning.  Both growth and producing fruit require a tremendous amount of energy.  The main part of the vine, Jesus, provides us with the food and water which in turn energizes us and allows us to grow and make fruit.

The only way a vine can continue to produce more fruit is if someone, the Gardener, comes along and cuts the fruit.  The only way the fruit will not pull the vine down or rot is if it is picked at the proper time.  Our Father lovingly tends to us and longs to collect the fruit we've produced so that He can carry the load, allowing us to produce more.  As Christians, it is important for us to remember that God tends to the people we've invested in just as He tends to us.  Most vines produce their fruit and then have a season of dormant rest, so not only does He ensure that the fruit does not weigh us down, He requires that we have a season of rest before we grow and produce more fruit again.

I believe rest is a concept many of us don't fully understand, myself included.  However, God's rest is a result of knowing that whatever I do in Him, He is the One who does the real work.  My "work" is submitting to Him. Matthew 11:28-29 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  We can come to Him in spite of all our baggage and know that He picks up the bags and sets us free from the heavy loads we've carried.

Jesus could heal on the Sabbath because He was the Sabbath.  The Sabbath was just a day of the week set aside to rest.  He alone is our rest.  The feeling of unrest is a call to us as deep calls to deep, saying to our weary souls:  "Come to me, and I will satisfy your need."  God knows when we are worn out just as a mother knows when her baby needs a nap.  As that mother rocks her baby to sleep, so God prepares us for His rest.

"By day the LORD directs His love, at night His song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life."  

Psalm 42:8

Ladies, rest your weary heads in the palm of His hands.  You will find Him the most comfortable pillow and blanket you've ever used; You can rest while He sings His lullaby over you!  You are a most treasured child.

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." Psalm 62:5

by Jamie Harper

Stay tuned for Angela Thomas's 8 Provisions for the Worn Out Woman