The Lord is continually teaching me how to live life from a posture of rest. I see that stillness is to be a hallmark of my lifestyle. As the world continues to push busyness…God is calling me to rest. I know this must be very important for me, because the enemy keeps trying to rob my rest. I used to sleep a full night, almost every night. I woke up refreshed every day and was so grateful for the fullness of sleep. But over the last couple of years, I have struggled with sleep. I know this has been an intentional act of war.
From rest we find peace. From rest we have a sound mind. From rest we are energized and invigorated. From rest we allow our physical body to be restored. Rest is so important.
Lack of rest has many signs…fear and anxiety thrive, sickness too…and a myriad of other things.
This may seem basic, but I’ve noticed people don’t think about this often enough. Or they make excuses for lack of rest because they are desperate to fit in with other busy bees. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again now…being busy doesn’t make a person more important.
Life is all about what you are choosing to glorify.
Are you glorifying God? Or are you glorifying earthly things? Popularity…money…position…image…church? Yes, church…do you glorify your church over God?
If you are in a church body that holds itself as more important than connecting with your own family, having quiet time with God, and if you are “required” to attend every single event and outing, then maybe you should ask God if you’ve accidentally begun to glorify your church more than Him.
Our priority is God first, then family…then everything else falls into a healthy order.
Today is a day of discovering priority and trying to realize our true motivation. In the middle of last year, the Lord really convicted me that I had unwittingly begun to just fall in line with busyness in two particular places of my life. He called me out, and it was so good. He revealed it to me and I could see it so clearly, but didn’t quite know how to step out of it, so I surrendered to Him and over time, He gave me specific off-ramps. I haven’t regretted it, even once. The fruit of stepping into rest has been unbelievable. Our family has bonded so deeply because we have more time together. More time without pressure. We’ve been able to have conflict and then work for resolution, because we have time. We’ve been able to face the ugliness we have inside and allow God to transform us, because we have more time. I revel in an open schedule. It gives time for what’s important to God, and denies me of trying to find value in anything but Him. This is the most worthwhile thing I’ve ever done.
I’ve also realized that God called me to be this way from the start, and now that I’ve had time to do so, I can tell you the exact moment when I began to turn my ear from Holy Spirit to embrace approval from others. I have repented, and now I cautiously move forward, wrapped in forgiveness. I don’t want to live for the approval of man. It’s an exhausting thing to do. Living from God’s approval is much better.
God, reveal to me any places that I have traded rest for the applause and approval of man. Forgive me, Lord. You already approve of me, I know that full well. Help me only seek to live life from Your approval. I trade in, what the world demands from me…for Your Presence. Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I love You, in Jesus’ name, amen.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:6-10
365 Days in the Presence 