It’s difficult to be still when we feel like life is moving at a snail’s speed. So, we rush, avoiding rest to get where we want to go faster (so we think). However, just like highways have rest stops, so do our lives. Sometimes God calls us to seasons of stillness to rest, reset, and refocus so we can refuel for the journey ahead. Unfortunately, sometimes we give into the temptation to avoid stillness, thinking we can accomplish more if we just keep going, if we lose a little more sleep, if we hustle a little harder. Yet, this was never God’s plan. We were designed to rest, and God did not design rest to set us back, but to propel us forward. In Exodus 33:14, God says:
“And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”(Exodus 33:14 ESV)
Our rushing is actually a sign of mistrust in God. We have relied on our own efforts, so we feel we can’t stop. But when we know God has ordered every one of our steps, even when it’s time to stop, we can safely exit the crazy hamster wheel of life and embrace seasons of rest for what they are: ordained by God. We then will see that God can do more in our stillness than we could ever do in our hustle.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the gift of rest that You give me. Please help me to embrace seasons of rest and stillness more, as I trust You with the direction of my life. When I want to strive and hustle more, help me to fully rest in You. In Jesus’ name, amen