Rest Easy

Before you read the rest of this post, take a minute to listen to this song if you haven’t heard it already.

God has been teaching me a lot lately about resting. Being in college makes it even easier for me to focus on nothing but due dates and textbooks, but that’s not why I’m here. I didn’t come to college just to stay in my room reading, even though studying is a part of my worship as I strive to bring God glory through my work. I came here to learn and grow and try new things. I can’t do that if I’m too busy planning (and procrastinating.)

Ironically, the more I try to control my schedule, the less things seem to go as planned. But the past few days I’ve learned that there is beauty in letting go and letting God bring the unexpected back into your day. It can be as simple as setting aside your homework to spend time with a new friend, or taking a walk around campus to refocus your mind. The point is giving all of you, including your time, back to God.

Today at church we learned about the Sabbath and what it means to set aside this day as holy to the Lord. I always thought that rest meant completely stopping and not doing any work. While sometimes that is necessary, resting is really about  taking time to reconnect and refocus your heart on God. We get so restless when we worry and plan and go, but God calls us to walk with Him in peace and joy. We can’t live in the moment if we’re stressed about what’s going on tomorrow or how we’ll get such-and-such done by next week.

I’m still figuring out that rest isn’t so much about not doing anything; it’s about why you’re doing what you’re doing. We have to get things done, and sometimes that means being busy. However, we can choose to pray for God’s spirit of rest to drive out our restlessness instead of trying to go it alone. In the midst of exams and papers and events, it’s easy to get stressed and let my focus get drawn into secondary things. But tonight I’m invited and you are invited to remember the reason we’re here and to allow God’s peace to fill our lives.

Blessings,

Sarah 🙂

“For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.” John 14:27