My soul finds rest in God alone
Psalm 62:1 Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
I used to think I was good at resting. I might have been at some point in time. But this has changed after years of working in tech and marketing. Having the “always be closing” mindset makes it hard to turn off on the weekends or during designated times of rest. The word rest itself gives me rest. It is so calming and reminds me that I need to do it.
Oftentimes, I seek rest and find that while I might be doing the outward actions to warrant rest, slowing down, solitude, contemplation, meditation, taking time off, and sleeping at a good time, I usually don’t feel rested. That is because rest comes to the soul as a deep feeling of satisfaction. For me, it usually feels like a consequence of something and is earned.
Jesus, Lord of Rest
Yet Jesus helps us rest and has it as a reward. He beckons us to come to him with our weariness and burdens, and he will give us rest. He says he is Lord of the Sabbath. King of Rest, Prince of Peace. If we want to learn the unforced rhythms of grace, we should look to him:
“Are you tired?
Worn out?
Burned out on religion?
Come to me.
Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.
I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.
Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-20, The Message
What a beautiful promise, of which the Bible has many. Learning to travel light is a promise we have in Jesus. Getting away to “recover your life” from the burnout of corporate life or the daily grind seems so appealing.
Rest for the Laid Off
I have recently entered a season of forced rest—being laid off from formal employment. It came as a surprise, but God had also been preparing me for at least two years. There are many pros and cons of being “fun-employed,” as a friend of mine put it. One pro is the opportunity to “recover your life.” I’m finding that I need to learn the unforced rhythms of grace. It’s a new rhythm not to have the structure of employment. It seems like a perpetual rest but can also have its own pitfalls, like perpetual anxiety and worrying about what’s next.
The psalm at the beginning, Psalm 62:1, is one I will commit to memory during this time. Only God can give me true rest. My favorite Psalm, though, is Psalm 23. Even though it’s probably the most famous psalm, it gives my soul great comfort (rest?) when I read it. My favorite verses are 2-3:
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.Psalm 23
God often has to make us lie down and rest. This is where I am now, and it is strange and unfamiliar. It feels unearned and dangerous, but also, like exactly where I need to be.