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This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15
“Get some rest”, the doctor told me, “The best thing you can do for your healing is to get good rest.“
Resting is much easier said than done. It’s difficult to rest when everyone around you is busy doing things. Especially those things that you used to do. Even though you know the best thing you can do is to rest, your mind tells you the worst thing you can do is rest. It’s a horrible dichotomy.
Maybe you’ve seen that too. Resting isn’t the same as sleeping. Sometimes you wake up in the morning and you don’t feel rested. Oh, you slept, but you didn’t rest. Even if you’re sleeping, your mind wouldn’t quit. It seemed like you were constantly reminded of the bills that weren’t getting paid, the relationships that were strained, the guilt and shame you feel for your past or the workplace struggles you need to address in the morning.
Resting is essential for healing. Your body needs time to regroup. Your body needs time to do what it is created to do naturally. To heal.
What’s true in the physical realm, is true in our spiritual/emotional lives as well. God speaks through Isaiah to tell us that our strength does not come from our activity. Our healing doesn’t come from the work that we do. Our healing and strength comes from quietness and confidence.
The psalmist writes, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Our confidence doesn’t come from anything we can do. Our confidence comes from knowing that God has everything in control.
True rest leads to healing, healing comes when we have confidence in the promises that God has given us. Promises of forgiveness. Promises of safety. Promises of grace.
Do you need some rest today? Not just physical rest, but spiritual or emotional rest? Ask the Holy Spirit now, to help you to have confidence in the strength God gives you. He is the source of all healing and all rest.
Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:20
How are you today?
The question is a common one when people greet each other. There’s a couple ironies to the question though. Often we ask that without really wanting or waiting for an answer!
Secondly, when we are asked that question we respond with, “good!” or some other sterile generic version of the answer.
Then, of course, there are those people who, when asked, give you a detailed answer much longer you needed. (We tend to avoid that question to those people.)
For those times when we are sincere with each other, the question is a valid one. We want to know how the other person is feeling, what’s going on in their lives and perhaps how we can support/pray for them.
Feelings are powerful. They can determine our outlook on life, affect how we respond to crisis, and impact our relationships.
They also make us vulnerable and that’s the scary part. Few of us would respond to “How are you feeling today” by saying, “I’m feeling really guilty today” or “I’m really ashamed today, thanks for asking.”
During those times when our feelings can get the best of us it’s nice to know God not only knows our deepest, most secret feelings. He is stronger than them!
Rather than focusing on our feelings, which can be fickle, focus on our God and His promises to love, forgive and strengthen us when emotions try to tear us away.
Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:7
In the early 1960’s a picture was published of John F Kennedy Jr playing under the desk of his father, John F Kennedy, president of the United States.
This picture was taken during a time of world crisis, yet John Jr played at the feet of his daddy, totally oblivious to the crisis at hand.
He didn’t understand the severity of what was going on around him. All he knew was he was with daddy and that’s all that mattered.
He didn’t realize that his dad was, at that time, considered the most powerful man in the world. He was with dad and that was all that mattered.
Throughout the Bible, fathers are honored and respected. None of them were perfect. Some were evil. But the standard of fatherhood rested in Jehovah God not in men.
Because of Jesus, I am a child of God! I don’t need to worry when others attack me.
When others fail to have compassion over my situation, my Heavenly Father understands.
When Truth is hard to find, He knows and ordains what goes on in secret. Even when hardships come my way He gives me strength in the attacks.
Even the best earthly dads fail regardless of their intentions. But your Heavenly Father never fails.
He never loses his temper but is always patient.
He believes in you regardless of how many mistakes you make.
No matter what’s going on around you, the seen and the unseen, He’s never surprised, never frustrated, never second guessing his decisions.
He understands you at every stage of life. As an infant he feeds you. As a teenager he guides you. As an adult he encourages you. As a senior citizen he strengthens you.
You are a child of the most high. Live in the power of his promises.
So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:11
I am a friend of God.
Let that sink in. The creator/sustainer of the universe calls me his friend.
Friends enjoy each others company.
Friends may not talk for a season for whatever the reason. But when they reconnect it’s as if they were never apart.
Friends know each others likes and dislikes.
Friends are patient with each other and their strange quirks.
Friends defend each other.
Friends don’t measure the depth of their friendship by expectations.
I am a friend of God! I have nothing to offer Him, but through Jesus He gives me more than I can imagine.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 