The Rest

The house is quiet.

We are going on vacation next week, so all morning everyone has been packing and chatting with a busy excitement.  My kids finished packing and they're off running errands.  Without the noise of the excitement and chatter, I can barely stay awake.  I'm exhausted.  I actually feel too tired to go on vacation. 

I think all Moms with kids at home, single or not, are exhausted a majority of the time.  Adrenaline carries us more often than it should.  When Jesus says come to Me and I will give you rest, I think for us Moms, He means literal rest.  We are an exhausted bunch, with bad hair and bags under our eyes.  

There's a lot of things in this world that offer rest.  One could get a massage, a pedicure, or even a day at the spa.  A nice trip to a favorite restaurant means a night off from cooking.  Soft sleep masks help with sleep.  Shopping for new clothes can be a fun hobby.  Vacations can be helpful.

While there's nothing wrong with any of those things, my problem is that I'm not just physically exhausted.  Physical exhaustion has an easy fix, a great night of sleep.  No, my exhaustion comes from anxiety, managing competing priorities all day long, worry about everything under the sun, and feeling overwhelmed because there's always more to do in a day than I can accomplish.  No amount of polish on my toenails is going to fix my mind's attempts to keep up with the demands of this world.

If Jesus promises us true rest, how do we take Him up on His offer?

Stay Close to Jesus.  Your body needs sleep to recover.  Your mind needs rest, not manipulation, and the opportunity to peacefully wind down.  Jesus allows for the mind to rest along with the body.  I promise you that whatever you are worried about, it does not justify your level of stress.  Do not waste your peace on this.  Stay close to Jesus and stay in His ways and He will see you through this.  In all things, He goes before you.  Bring your decisions in line with your beliefs, and allow God to take the wheel.

Remember, Jesus is working all situations.  Simply do as He asks of you and do not worry about anyone else.  No one else has solutions for you because no one else understands you like He does.  No one else loves you like He does.  Follow Him and His ways so your problems don't take you under.  

Take a Sabbath.  Taking a true, proper sabbath requires time.  That's something most of us don't feel we have.  But, a true sabbath is an entire day.  It is a day of rest and worship.  It is a day of listening to God's truths rather than the noise of the world.  It is rest for your mind, not just your body.  It is a time to soften your heart so you can hear His voice.

God doesn't need for us to take a sabbath.  A sabbath is for us.  I personally struggle to take an entire day for a sabbath.  Inevitably there's at least one place I need to be every day of the week.  But, then God reminds me that I control my schedule, not the other way around.  I pay the price when I don't schedule my time with Him, and my levels of anxiety are significantly increased when I don't spend time listening to what God has to say.

Ponder on God's Love.  Whatever you are facing, you are not alone.  His love for you is unlike anything else you've ever experienced.  You don't have to impress God.  There's no image required (in fact, He really doesn't like images, He likes YOU).  One thing I love to do is think about what He did specifically to show His love today.  

Did you see something that was an odd coincidence?  It wasn't.

I was traveling in Chicago once, and I was struggling with feeling bad about myself.  Thoughts of self hatred were bouncing around in my head.  You're not a good mother.  The divorce wouldn't have happened if you were better.  You're a fraud, a fake.  You know, all the fun stuff the devil likes to tell us Moms, especially single Moms.

I was walking around downtown, and crossing the street.  Directly in front of me was a sign was on the lightpost.  It said, "Jesus loves you".  I looked at more closely, thinking about how much I needed to hear that message in that moment.  In small print at the bottom, it said "Yes I am talking to you."  It was just a random piece of paper taped to a lamp post.

But, it wasn't random.  It wasn't a coincidence.  It was God reminding me that His love is greater than all of those terrible things in my mind.  His love is so thoughtful, so sensitive, that He orchestrated a piece of paper to be taped on post because He knew I would be crossing the street on a particular day, and that I would need to see it.

What kind of God is this?  What kind of love is this?    

He goes out of His way to show us that He loves us.  Our minds are constantly searching for this love, and we have to take the time to ponder on it when we see it.  It calms our heart, makes us smile, and reminds us that we're never alone.  

In the end, He's what we're looking for.  He's the calm in the storm. 

Jesus, and only Jesus, provides true rest.