The Strength It Takes To Rest

I don’t know about you, but at least for me, it can be extremely easy to allow busyness to take over my days. From jobs, assignments, friends, family time, eating, random tasks, running a business (you name it), there’s constantly something fighting for my attention and time. It can be so easy to just give in and allow my days to fly by but in that, I miss the beauty that is rest.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not inherently bad to be busy or have a full schedule, but it is wrong to let that craziness completely take over our lives to a point where we obsess over it and almost take pride in our lack of peace. In all the chaos of day-to-day life, we actually miss out on the wonder and peace in the small moments.

This lesson was taught to me two different times. First, during COVID when no one could really do anything. Whether through self-quarantine, mandated quarantine, or just a general desire to stay home, so many plans were canceled. Suddenly, instead of having weeks on end planned out and filled to the brim, we weren’t even sure what was going to happen that day. And, instead of running from location to location or meeting to meeting, we would occasionally change our position for the next Zoom meeting. I’m so grateful for the incredible things God did in and through quarantine and I’m especially grateful that I did have the chance to just be, instead of running around like a crazy lady. Through just BEING, God was able to move in my day-to-day life and I just “happened” to come across a video that would become the catalyst for Arts With Love. Without all the extra time and fewer credits my senior year, Arts With Love likely wouldn’t be there.

So, rest isn’t the absence of doing things, it’s doing things at the right time out of a place of peace and refreshment found only in God. 

Second, I’m learning this aspect of rest right now. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible for us to take 2-3 hours every day just to be by ourselves and focus on God or processing through things. There is a good portion of things that are out of our control - be that the constant need of attention or nurturing from your kids, the demands of a job that doesn’t stay in the window of 9-5, sports and school, or relational drama that doesn’t just solve itself. In the chaos and craziness, we have to find a secret place in ourselves where we can just go, be with the Lord, and allow Him to be our rest. In Matthew 6:8 Jesus explains that our Heavenly Father knows, and is intimately acquainted, with our needs before we even ask Him about them. In His presence is peace, rest, and life that no amount of yoga, moisturizer, or naps can supply. In Him we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). Even a few stolen moments with Him in crazy chaos can make all the difference in the world.

So, rest can be found in even the crazy if we choose to spend time in His presence and accept His love and peace. 

Keep in mind, I’m no expert on this and this is literally something God was showing me these past few days. If you gain anything from this poorly written, scrapped-together blog, it’s all because of Him and not from my innate ability or wisdom. 

But I would encourage you that next time you’re at your wit’s end, to just invite Him into that raw space and allow Him to move in a way that only He can. And I promise that it won’t look like what you expect, but it will look like what you need.

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