Sweet Rest

by Jami Greene

“And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet RESTING PLACES.” Isaiah 32:18

There is a high level of anxiety in the air. There is a sense of overwhelming dread and despair everywhere you go. News reports abound with mostly bad news and negative stories. Receiving all of this into our five senses often leaves us feeling that there is no hope for the world. The ever increasing perpetration of evil acts by humanity against humanity each other is simply unreal at times. Innocent children are being killed on a daily basis by those who have no real justification for their behavior. The elderly in our society, who should be cherished as life treasures, are being abused and misused and often suffering in silence. In addition, even those who we look to for spiritual guidance are reportedly falling short and without exhibiting a personal need for repentance, are leading many to a place of exposure to the wrath of God.

I don’t know about you, but there are days when I just pray for rest. That’s it, nothing else. Period. I just want to rest. As women, we tend to take on the burdens and concerns of others around us. It is our divinely designed nature to want to fix things and make them right. We awaken in the morning thinking about the things we must accomplish today that will make life more comfortable for those we love. Throughout the day, we consistently put these ideas and plan into motion. When we lie down at night, we automatically do a mental check list to evaluate what we did accomplish and what we have yet to accomplish. In far too many cases, we do not get the proper rest because our mental check list are still running throughout the night. This is not the Father’s desire for you. 

This constant sense of “needing to get something done” is not necessarily a good place to be. We must come to accept the fact, that there are some things that we just cannot do. There are things that we are not created to handle or fix. There are people whose lives we will not help to change. There are places that we are not meant to go. That is just the reality of the situation.

As Christians, we function from a place of compassion and love. We long to have peace with all men and we desire to love and be loved by all of those in our lives. As Christian women, we combine our nurturing selves with our redeemed selves and if we are not careful we become emotionally overwhelmed. The answer to this dilemma is to rest in the knowledge that God is STILL in control. Regardless to how it looks on the outside, God is STILL in control.

I feel compelled to encourage you today to accept the fact that our Sovereign God yet reigns. Allow yourself to relax and be at peace with His plan. Holy Spirit is wooing us into a place of peace and communion with Him. He is bidding us to enter into “sweet rest” that is found in His presence. He wants us to spend more time with Him and less time worrying about things that we cannot change.

He is the God who has given you the many ideas, desires and plan that you have. Yet, He did not give them to you so that they can control you. He has given them to you to enjoy and to bring Him glory in the earth. If what you are doing is stressing you out and manifesting in physical, emotional or spiritual illness, then I suggest that it’s time to make some readjustments. As you spend time with Him, ask Him for direction for TODAY and watch Him return you to that place of peace and sweet rest.

Be encouraged my sisters. These are the last days and we must be sure that our activities are in aligning with our divine assignment. Let us not be so busy being “active” that we are not being “productive.” Yes, these are the days that are testing our very foundational faith. But these are also the days that Holy Spirit is being pouring out upon us as never before. We are accomplishing more for the Kingdom than those before us could even dream. 

Come on go with me. Let’s enter in to His presence and enjoy that sweet rest.