My eyes popped opened feeling like someone had dumped gravel in them. I awoke to darkness for the second consecutive morning. So I laid there in the quiet, waiting for a rush of suppressed thoughts to bombard my consciousness. I let out an exhausted sigh as I tried to blink away the burning sensation. Sleep deprivation can be so annoying, especially since, lately, "the sandman" seems to have trouble finding my address any time before 3 am.
Why was I up--again?
I didn't have to wait very long for an answer. My invisible, yet ever-present friend, began softly speaking to me. Ironically, the Lord talked to me about resting in Him after awakening me from a deep sleep.
I thought spending an unseasonably cool May morning nestled under my warm blankets was resting.
But obviously, God's concern was not with my physical state of stillness or restfulness. He whispered a portion of Psalm 46:10, which says: “Be still, and know that I am God." With that, I forgot about the discomfort in my tired eyes and tuned my ears into heaven's frequency.
"I want your physical position and your spiritual condition to line up," God said in a tender voice.
Right away I understood the message He was relaying to me. You see, I know how it is to be lying in one space, while my mind is running all over the place. It's been that way this week as my sweet mother's battle with cancer and other health issues greatly intensified.
True rest-- the kind God wants both me and you to have--is internal. It does not come from the comfort of a warm bed, or external circumstances that make us feel happy. Rather, it is experienced only through casting all our cares and anxieties upon the Lord, knowing He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
When we lay our burdens down at His feet, whether we are physically at rest or in motion, our inward man is always resting in the Lord. Through His presence and a genuine revelation of who He is, our spirit is renewed day by day. We can be physically going, going, going, and yet have peace. We can be busy, but not stressed; active, but not anxious; occupied, but not preoccupied; engaged, but not overwhelmed; at work, but not worked up.
Wide awake, but still totally at rest.
Now I see why God had to disrupt my natural rest to give me spiritual rest.
As He reminded me of what it really means to lie down in a true restful state, right there in my bed, tears streamed down my cheeks. My loving Father gave me a cathartic release that, quite frankly, I didn't even know I needed. I feel so much better. That's why today, I want to pour some "real rest" in your cup of inspiration.
Drink it down and allow God to take your worries and burdens, and carry them for you.
I encourage you to take this lesson that has so greatly helped me, and apply it.
Be still and know that He is God. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7 NIV)
TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, thank You for reminding me today that real rest can only be found in You, my refuge. No matter what's going on in my life, help me never to forget that true peace and joy is discovered in Your presence alone. I praise You now for serenity in the midst of the storm and comfort through every season. In Jesus' name, Amen.
