Rest

Although I tried not to show it outwardly, this past weekend I felt anxiety. Saturday and Sunday mornings are normally the only time I get enough significant alone time to recharge emotionally and spiritually for the week and to write. However, this past weekend, I went into the office early Saturday morning to catch up on work. Sunday morning, I lost one hour of my meditation and prayer time due to the time change. I was busy the rest of the day with church and family commitments and other errands and did not rest until late in the evening. I presume my weekend was not much different than what many parents experience on a regular basis.

This past weekend, I was also anxious as I thought about the upcoming work week. As is almost always the case, those things I worried about were not as difficult as I imagined they would be. When I am anxious, it is harder for me to focus on and trust God. Consequently, this needless anxiety robbed me of my joy.

Most of us go through times when we are discouraged spiritually. At those times, it is especially helpful to remember Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3).” Although we desire to trust in God and to seek His righteousness, there are times when we read the Bible and we pray but we do not feel encouragement. There are times when we don’t desire God. However, when we accept our imperfections, this acceptance draws us closer to Him even if we may not feel that closeness at the time.

When we are tired and discouraged, Jesus also calls us to rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30). If we truly rest in Him, we worry less about how to handle the difficult situations in our life. That is not to say that we should ignore or procrastinate on these things. Rather, we should not think on them so much when there is no action that we can take at the time. Sometimes, when we pray to God to take these worries away so that we may focus on Him and His love, we may find some relief. Sometimes we may not. But, even during those times when we may go through a desert spiritually, that is ok. Everything is in God’s Providence.

What a friend we have in Jesus

Joseph M. Scriven (1819 – 1886)

What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge— Take it to the Lord in prayer; Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer; In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.