What in the world was God thinking when He talked about us entering His rest? Doesn't He know how busy this world is? Doesn't He understand that if I work 7 days a week, then I get extra pay? I don't have time to rest, I'm a single mom trying to make a living for my kids. If I take a day to rest, I will lose a days wages and time to show my boss how devoted I am to this company.
Do these sayings sound familiar to you? There are some of us who have such a hard time relaxing, let alone resting. We work 12 hour days 7 days a week and occasionally we take a week's vacation. We miss out on family time, we miss out on birthday's and special occasions because we have to make a living. To physically rest seems like a dream come true. We work for our retirement when we finally can rest, yet so many die shortly after retirement begins. It just doesn't seem fair does it?
Work, work, work day after day after day! Worry, worry, worry about our future. We pace the floor and wring our hands. We overindulge on caffeine to keep us awake. We ignore the warning signals and ignore our health. We keep our hands on the steering wheel of our life and our foot is pressed down to the floor on the accelerator. We move in fast forward never taking time to rest, never learning how to rest.
These pelicans have learned to rest. They are looking for food, they are searching for fish but instead of frantically flying back and forth, they are simply floating on the sea, resting, trusting God to provide them with the food they need to live. Oh what we could learn from these pelicans.
"Resting in God" does not mean just sitting on the sidelines waiting for God to reign down food and money. As far as I am concerned to "rest in God" means I need to do what I can, but then the rest I leave up to God. It may sound simple, but that is my description.
I live a relaxed life. That does not mean I sit in my lazy boy eating bon bons all day long. What it does mean is I do my job, what I can do, what I should do and then I trust in God to supply my needs. I do not work overtime and will not miss out on special occasions to make more money I rely on God. I do not worry about what is going to happen, I trust in God. I do not stress out about my bills or my family, I rest in God.
Hebrews 4:9-11 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
Listen when we let go of the steering wheel and allow God to accelerate us at His rate of speed, we find that we are much happier and much healthier. When we learn to rest, rely and trust in God, we live a life that is less stressed. Once we learn to enter the rest of God we can breath much easier.
We cannot overwork and live life overstressed and plan on our retirement because, to be honest, all that work and stress will kill us before our time. I have seen it! People retire and within a year or two they are dead.
God has a master plan for your life but He will not, I repeat, He will not take the steering wheel away from you. You have to give it up and ask Him to take control of the wheel. So today I ask you to let go of that steering wheel, get your foot off the accelerator. Give God control and then continue to do what you can and allow God to do what you cannot do. You won't be sorry. I haven't been.
God, today I give you control of my life. I am relying on you, trusting in you and resting in you. Today I am choosing you. Teach me through your word, how to rest in you, in Jesus name I pray, amen!
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