The Rhythms of Rest
“So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.”– Heb. 4:11 NLT

In the Bible we are told to strive for two things. The first is to enter by the narrow gate (Luke 13:24) and the second is above, where the author tells us as followers of Christ, to STRIVE to enter into the rest of God. That has always seemed contradictory to me – strive to enter rest? By definition, striving involves a great deal of effort and work. How in the world do we STRIVE to REST?

Confession: I am a recovering striver, and a card-carrying #doersanonymous member. For much of my walk with Christ I have been driven internally to DO for Him, attempting to earn His love by doing more, being more, and exhausting myself in the process. Can anyone relate? I thought my value to Him was dependent on my efforts to DO more, be BUSY for Him, and to make myself somehow more worthy of His affections by DOING. One day I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Daughter, you are a human BEING; not a human DOING.” In that moment, I realized that all my doing was motivated from a heart that was NOT at rest. I was not resting in the work of Christ, but performing instead. Learning to rest has set my soul free. So this month, #restandrenew, is an invitation to REST from our own efforts and rely upon His work.

All throughout God’s Word, from Genesis to Revelation, we see the rhythms of rest. As God finished creating the world, on the 7th day, He rested – not because HE needed to rest, but to set an example and a pattern for our own lives. In the journey of the Israelites from the land of slavery to freedom in the Promised Land, the Lord taught and commanded REST. There were laws for weekly rest, yearly rest and a year of rest every 50 years, called the year of Jubilee. Rest is given as a gift from God to His people. He knows that without rest we run ourselves dry, accomplish less, and find our value in doing instead of Him.

For God’s people (that is US!), there is REST. This rest, however, does not mean NOT working, obeying, following or seeking Him.

There are two kinds of biblical rest. The first is a rest of the soul – no longer do we work FOR God or try to earn His affection or pleasure. God’s rest settles on the soul that puts their faith in the work of Christ on his or her behalf, and when one stops trying so hard to DO for God. Our motivation for obeying becomes love, not performance. It’s time to tear up my #doersanonymous card!
The second kind of rest is physical. Our bodies were created to function most effectively and most freely as we learn the rhythm of work and rest. Both are vital, but oftentimes we see rest as optional. However, in the Bible and in our own lives, we clearly see the command to take time and space to REST in our bodies.

I encourage you – go read all of Hebrews 4. There is MUCH to learn in this chapter – about how unbelief and hardness of heart robbed the Israelites of their Promised Land, and how we can and must learn from examples set forth in Scripture.

Here are some questions to take to the Lord:

How is my soul? Am I at rest? Do I tend to work FOR Him, trying to earn His love?

Do I have a pattern and plan in place to rest my physical body? What does a Sabbath rest look like for me, physically?

Remember – all of God’s commands, including the command to REST, is for our very, very best. He can reveal Himself to us as we rest in ways we will never know His heart as we work.

Rest, my friend. Ask Him to teach you the rhythm of work and rest in your own life. There is such freedom in it.

His love, Heather

Heather is the Director of Culture for Revelation Wellness, a Revelation Wellness instructor, and daily learning to be a daughter of God.

Join us for a great #Wednesdayworkout! Join Alisa for this Full Length Cardio Circuit! Train your joy and move your body!

Interested in becoming a Fitness Teacher/Gospel Preacher? Our next class begins August 21st! Click here for more information!