#4678 – Finding Rest

Good morning people who say YES to the Lord and NO to distractions

(Today’s BIY is written by my wife Sally)

Finding rest can seem challenging. Whether it is the busyness of life or whether you are in the midst of the battle, our body, soul, and spirit crave rest. We know that the Word tells us to wait upon the Lord to renew our strength (Isaiah 40:31). But before we get to that place of receiving strength from the Lord, there is something we need. We need a strong resolve, a courage to ignore all that needs to be done, and a determination to come and still our hearts before God. We need strength to bend our mind, will and emotions towards Him and away from distractions and the cares of this world.

Psalm 27:14 (NIV) Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

When everything else is screaming for our attention, we must set our hearts to wait upon the Lord. When it appears that it would just be easier to focus on God if we got that problem fixed first, we need courage to stop everything and come to Him. It almost sounds conflicting. When we need strength, we have to be strong even just to wait on the Lord. Yet the very act of having the strength to surrender our heart to Him is what allows us to receive His supernatural strength.

Our mind will tell us otherwise. The enemy will whisper in our ear that if we can just finish that project, get those relationships sorted out, or tidy up that mess, we will feel better. But this is not Truth. This is the lie of the enemy to get us focused on doing things rather than being with God.

The Holy Spirit is reminding us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Strong enough to be dependent entirely on Him. Strong enough to realise we can’t do it ourselves. Strong enough to lay all our troubles at His feet. Strong enough to take a break from doing God’s purposes and take time just to be in His presence.

The Holy Spirit is your comforter and counsellor. He is your friend and your helper. He is your deliverer. He is your refuge and strength. He is your rest, and His grace is sufficient for you, even in the midst of the raging storm. The moment we feel like we don’t have the space or time to be still before Him is the very moment that we need Him most.

To wait on the Lord is to bind your heart to His. It is to have hope and anticipation of what God will say to you. It is to expect God to move. Expect to experience His presence as you resolve to still your heart. The renewing comes in the waiting. The strength comes in the reliance on Him.

I pray that today, and every day, you will have the courage and strength to wait on the Lord. God has prepared a banqueting table for you! He delights to sit with you so that you can enjoy a feast of His goodness and grace – even in the midst of your greatest challenges.

(Today’s BIY is written by my wife Sally)