Real Rest

A week before I teach at a retreat, I begin to struggle with rest. My dreams develop a frequent recurring theme: not being prepared. I am in a play but never learned my lines and the curtain is about to open. It is time for a Greek exam and I haven’t studied for months. I am speaking somewhere and neglected to bring any notes with me. It is always a huge relief to wake up and find it was only a dream. On those nights I might technically be sleeping, but it is not a restful sleep. I wake up tired and even a bit stressed.

What keeps us from getting rest? For me, anxiety tops the list. Worry about my children, husband, responsibilities, money, safety, etc. all have kept me at one time or another from rest. I worry when the dog won’t eat her dinner. I worry when I hear a strange noise or smell an unusual odor. Worry is all too common in my life.

Of course, anxiety is totally inappropriate in the life of a Christian. It comes as a result of moving away from our security in the Lord. Even worse, our worry may well be a reflection of what we really believe to be true about God. Most of us can spout off a pretty detailed account of God’s character. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present, for starters. He is holy. He is filled with loving-kindness, compassion, and never ceases to be faithful. In every part of His being, He is totally good.

Yet when troubling circumstances come along, we struggle to trust God. When this happens, we have to wonder what we really think of Him. If all of what’s listed about God’s character in the preceding paragraph is true, it simply does not make sense to worry. About anything.

When my son Adam was in first grade, I sat at the kitchen table one evening helping him with his homework. I could see he had misunderstood the directions, and attempted to help him correct his mistake. “No, Mom,” he firmly told me, “That’s not how the teacher said to do it.”

“Adam,” I patiently reasoned, “I was a first grade teacher. I know how to do this paper.” Adam was not impressed. I was speechless.

My husband laughed softly from the other side of the kitchen. “To him, you’re not a teacher. In his eyes, you are just a mom,” Steve said.

Adam’s reluctance to trust me that night spoke volumes as to what he thought of me. Because he knew me primarily as his mother, I simply did not rank on the same level as his teacher. (I am happy to report he has since changed his tune.)

Our unwillingness to trust the Lord with our circumstances is just as telling.

Peace of mind cannot be tied to our circumstances. Instead, peace of mind can only come from what we know to be true about God. I think this is what God meant in Psalm 46 when He said, “Be still and know that I am God.” He was telling them, “Take a minute to really think about who I am. When you remember my power, goodness, and faithfulness, you will cease to fret.”

There is a mind-stilling, quiet confidence that comes along with focusing on God and giving our concerns and worries to Him. “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure,” the psalmist wrote in Psalm 16. We need to make a decision when challenging circumstances present themselves. I find I must ask myself frequently: Will I judge the character of God in light of circumstances, or will I instead choose to judge the circumstance in light of God’s character?

He has given us every reason to trust in Him by what He has revealed about His character in the pages of Scripture. If we struggle to trust Him, it could be it’s time for another hard look at who He is.

I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?
Jeremiah 32:27