If you’re anything like me, you’re asking God for some Biblical appearances when it comes to decisions. You know. The ones where the heavens roll back and angels ascend and descend with messages from God Himself. Or the hand of God comes down like it did in The Ten Commandments and writes His plans right into the rock. And you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s God speaking. No? I guess I’m the only one.
Oh no! God is much more subtle than that. At least in my life. And it requires slowing down enough or getting quiet and introspective enough to hear Him speaking. Something I’m oh so good at doing. Sigh.
So when I found this book in a church a number of years back I thought it was just what I needed. The pastor gave me the o.k. to take it and I brought it home, stuck it on the shelf and forgot about it. I was too busy. Ironic right?
Interestingly enough, I believe that’s what God wanted.
Right after my pastor finished a sermon series about trusting God,
I picked up this book again. It is The Power of Resting by Daveda Schmidlin. The sermon series got me thinking deeply about whether or not I trusted, REALLY trusted God. Not just with some things, but EVERYTHING. So when I started to read that being able to rest stemmed out of trusting in God – particularly His grace – I started to connect some dots.
This is not a book about how to relax and unwind. This dives deeper into what actually causes unrest in our lives. If we’re really honest, it connects to our beliefs – do we really trust God with that issue or person? If so, we can be at rest. If not, then we’re probably running ourselves ragged trying to figure it out ourselves.
Daveda covered a lot of things that threaten our rest – things like man-made rules in Christendom, comparison, people-pleasing and trying to change others.
But most importantly, she reaffirmed the beauty of God’s grace. Learning about and accepting grace for our own life helps us to be more gracious towards others.
The love of God for us and in us brings about change in our lives. The love of God through us brings about change in others.
Daveda Schmidlin, The Power of Resting
It’s when we’re at rest that we’re trusting. It’s when we’re at rest, God can speak.
Parenthetical insert! So I’m trying to practice this rest and along comes Pastor Steven Furtick with a sermon that that not only brings more rest, but emphasizes what is possible when we stay at rest.
You’ll hear the key word about 2/3rds in. He spoke it just as I was pondering how wonderful and patient God is by gently bringing these concepts – ones that I thought I knew – to my attention.
And that is what Daveda wrote about – the goodness and faithfulness of God to finish the work He started. The work in us, in our family, friends, country and even the world. As long as we keep believing that, keep believing Him, we can be at peace and live a rested life.
I don’t have it all together. Life likes to come at us in ways that overwhelm, frighten or frustrate us. If I take my eyes off Him and look around, the waves and wind look scary and threaten to drown me.
But I know I have a good, good Father and I can trust Him with everything.
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