Rest and Remain

Rest. Something that in this day in age we often overlook. I love a good cup of coffee, and I am

very guilty of always feeling like I need caffeine to get through the day. Why? I neglect the need

to rest.

If you know me at all, you know that I am the busiest of bees. I hardly leave time in my schedule

to remember to think. Every minute of the day is assigned to me doing something and being

somewhere. About two weeks ago I got sick, and it slowed me down but I didn’t stop. That only

made it worse, and I had many people telling me that I was running on fumes. It was at that time

that the Holy Spirit reminded me, “Sydney, you are a human being - not a human doing.” Ouch.

I began to think of all the times in the Bible that I knew it mentioned rest. I could recall Genesis

2:1-4 which tells us “God rested from all of His work” (v.2) and “declared it holy” (v.3) after

Creation. I thought about the times in the Gospels where it mentioned that Jesus withdrew

Himself from the crowds and even His own disciples to go spend time with His Father alone to

refresh His spirit. 1 Kings 19 Elijah had to come to the end of himself and was ready to give up.

He laid down to rest, and when he had awakened an angel of the Lord had brought him food

instructing him to eat it and rest some more. His strength was renewed to continue the journey

set before him.

What does this mean? Rest is holy. The Sabbath is holy, and being so busy all the time is not

only draining you, but it is direct disobedience to what God has told us to do. “For the person

who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His.” Hebrews

4:10. Rest also takes faith. It reminds us that we are not God. My efforts chasing after temporary

things are futile. There are times I pack my schedule so tightly it’s suffocating because God is

teaching me to be patient, but I don’t want to wait. I want to see action. It takes faith to trust He

is working in the waiting. I associate silence with inactivity when that is not at all the case. Many

times I have come to the end of myself, and even the fumes of the little strength I have left are

exhausted, but the Lord’s promises hold steady.

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For

my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

Rest. Relax. Refresh. Recover. Remain. John 15 has been impressed so heavily on my heart this

past week. I was given the chance to rest, even though it felt more forced than a gift. I did not

know what to do with my free time. A lot of it was spent on TikTok (I am not proud), but there

was also time spent reading and enjoying the sunshine.

4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the

vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.

If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6

If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches

are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in

you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you

bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I

loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love,

just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that

my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Remaining is the choice to stay. We do not have to pursue the perfect love of God, and we do not

have to work for it. We are already in it, and all we have to do is make the choice to stay. We

equate success with striving and business, but all God wants is your attention. He is so jealous

for you and there is nothing you have to strive to do or say that could make Him love you any

more or any less than He does right now. I pray for each person that sees this for the faith to rest

and remain. Let God be God. I pray that you get enough sleep at night and that your spirit

remains in the love of the Lord. I pray that you would slow down and enjoy the season you are

in. It is just that - a season. It won’t last forever.