The following is something I read recently from my mom. It's on her blog post and it was too good to not share.
Tonight was one of those nights where everything was caving in around me. On the outside, I looked fine. Calm. Collected. But, on the inside, I was crying- get me out of here. I just needed to leave. And you know where I left to? The library. Interesting that my car took me to a place where it was quiet, not crowded. Where I could hear my thoughts, and I happened to listen to them and realized that I needed some books for school. So, I checked out several, and prayed all the way home.
Learning to rest is something I learned to do this summer. And I've missed it terribly since school began. I have a ghetto glider in my garage from a garage sale this summer where I couldn't get myself to give that thing away. I had rocked my babies in it. And this summer God told me to not sell it.
He knew.
He knew it would be a place of rest for me. A place where I can go outside and just glide and look at the sky and know that He is with me. He's providing all my needs. When other people disappoint me, or can't fill me up. God can.
So, that's why learning to rest is so important to me.
LEARNING TO REST
I try to be so organized.
Every night I make a “to do” list.
I wake up in the morning furiously giving my best to complete every
task. There are never enough hours in
my day to get them all done. I wake up
the next day to do it all over again, only this time, the unfinished tasks from
yesterday’s list carry over to today’s.
I’m so tired!
My dear friend and mentor calmly interrupted, “You must
learn to rest.”
“Is resting something I have to learn?”
“Yes,” she said firmly, “you must learn to rest.”
“Okay,” I said, “I’ll go to bed earlier and when I feel
super tired, I’ll take a short nap.”
The cure to our weariness won’t come from resting our tired
bodies or delaying our duties for a time with a catnap. There is a difference between being
physically tired and needing to catch up on some zzz’s, and being worn out in
our hearts, minds and souls.
The truth is, we aren't weary simply because our schedules are full. We
are weary because our spirits are depleted. Within each one of us
resides a soul that desperately needs renewal and restoration, something
an overloaded schedule doesn't always allow.
It's easy to hide our exhausted souls. On the outside we may appear
well-organized, emotionally stable, and put together. But on the inside
we are often hopelessly overwhelmed and completely stressed out. The
rememdy for our weariness will not be found in a nap, but in God alone.
Our Good Shepherd can only restore our souls when we turn our hearts and
minds away from the noise and busyness of the world back to Him.
Sitting alone with the Lord leads us to peace and gives us the strength
we need to move forward.
LEARN TO REST
Return to your Good Shepherd
Invite Him to restore your Soul
Receive a fresh filling of His love, mercy and grace.
When you do, He will replace your weariness with strength, your resentment with
thanksgiving, your irritability with patience, and your anxiety with peace.
THE LORD IS WAITING
Meet with Him. He will refresh and renew you, enabling you
to go out into the world to serve your family and friends filled with a
newfound sense of His peace, love and joy.
The Lord IS MY shephard
I shall NOT want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still waters
He RESTORES MY SOUL.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
for His name sake.
Yea tho' I walk thru the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear NO evil
For You are with me.
Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me
Thou preparest a table before me
In the presence of mine enemies.
Thou annountest my head with oil
My cup overflows.
Surly goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life
and I will dwell in the
House of the Lord Forever.
