"I said, 'Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.'" Ps. 55:6

There is a place of rest in God's loving arms. In the midst of troubles or chaos, we can fly away in to a hiding place in the love of God.

Some of the time it is not the situation itself, but our worries about it, our fears over what might happen or our trying to figure it all out that causes unrest in our life. Other times it can be projecting it will always be this way or will get worse that steals our joy, peace and rest. Our thoughts and wanting to be in control can take us into a place of fear, anxiety and being troubled.

 

Sometimes big difficulties in our life like loosing our job or something we value can bring us to a place of anticipating the worst.

 

Child,

Disaster is not what I have planned for you.

But to love, and see you through

Falling you will do into my arms

Not into disaster or to harm

Learn to treasure that moments that are now

Trusting my love will show you how

Let your life speak of my goodness and care

Let my mercy fall and meet you there

My goodness is new every day

Let go of your worries and let me wash your frets away.

Worry is like a weed that grows. If we feed it, it will choke out the life of God and work He is doing in us. Rather than being free to flourish and thrive, we will be bound by our thoughts and fears.

In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus tells us, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Sometimes it is not worry but being overly busy that takes us from a place of rest. We hurriedly go from activity to activity and do not take the time to slow down. Often, it can be really good activities that we are doing “for God” so we justify it to ourselves that we are doing the right things.

When the needs around us are high, we can think we are responsible to fill them. Sometimes pastors of churches are expected to do everything by the congregation. They are to preach, counsel, pray, be at every activity, run the administration of the church, and solve everyone's problems. They can become burnt out trying to meet everyone's needs. Not to mention that it is difficult to give to others what you are no longer getting for yourself.

Caregivers easily also fall into this situation as well. If they are caring for several people, they are continually pulled in every direction. Sometimes caregivers may also have a full time job and feel like they have to do it all well, all the time.

In these places it is also easy to feel guilty for not meeting someone's needs and being there when they need you. It can feel like it is never enough and you are never enough. You can end up spending your energy busily helping and then feeling guilty when you take a moment away.

With care giving, sometimes the person receiving care does not learn to do as much for themselves because the caregiver steps and intervenes in their struggle. It is easier to rely on someone who loves and cares for you than stretch yourself and figure out how to do it. And for the caregiver, it can be hard to step back and encourage the person receiving care to figure it out on their own.

Where I work, we support people with disabilities. We work hard at creating a culture of high expectations for not only our staff, but also our participants who have disabilities. One of our key measures of success is how successful we are at helping our participants live to their potential and dreams, while being as independent as possible.

What is tough about breaking away from these patterns is that you have to break away from not only your own feelings of guilt over not being there, but the expectations of those around you. When you are pulled continually, it doesn't even allow for time to think about what is the wisest way to approach the day and genuinely make a difference in the lives of others.

People in this situation need to take some time out of the day to practice rest and receive from God or they will burn out and have nothing to give. In the place of rest and receiving God's care, they can recharge and also get His wisdom on how to approach their work.

Jesus say in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.…”

We need to come to Him and have time away with Him, letting Him restore our lives and give us what we need. We need to let go of our worries, guilt and producing to just be for a moment with God.

I had an experience several years ago with God that I will never forget. I stopped over my lunch to pray at a small church by my office. After I was done, and turning to go back to work. I felt the hand of God touch my face and turn it upwards toward Him. At that moment, I was no longer my title, my job, my duties, or anything else as the world defined. I was just me.... created by God and loved by God. As God overwhelmed me with His love, it was just so good to be His. This is who I was – not any of the things I did.

I think some of why we sit in worry or being overly busy is that we do not fully believe we can trust God with our every day. We do not genuinely believe that this very day was ordained by Him. He has a plan for it that is good and will meet us in every turn. All the stuff we don't get done, He will care for.

 Do we believe God is in control of our situation and lives, loves us deeply and will be with us, helping us every step of the way? That He genuinely and thoughtfully orders our days and lives? Do we believe that He will care for the things that we do not get to and cover them?

The truth is that He does. And there is a place of rest for our souls in Him.

Lord, I know more than anything, I need this place of rest. Forgive me where I have been doing and not trusting you to care for what I just can't cover. Help us to live fully for You and with You. Give us this rest our weary souls need.