Rest

Every year when the new school year begins, I ask God to give me a word.  Just one word for the year.  Last year, He gave me the word brave.  Throughout the year, He taught me about being brave   He showed me that courage is not the absence of fear – it is strength and faith in the midst of it.  He gave me countless opportunities to practice bravery and helped me say yes to those opportunities, even when I wanted to run away.

The word brave made sense last year.

This year, I asked for a new word.  Every night I invited God to speak to my heart as I opened my soul to what He had for me for the upcoming year.  At least, I thought I was open to what He had for me…until He gave me the word rest.

When I think of the word ‘rest’ I think of laziness and inactivity.  For someone who can hardly sit still long enough to read a good book, the idea of rest doesn’t come easily.

“Are You sure that’s the word You want for me, Lord?” I asked after three straight nights of hearing it from Him.

“Yes, Erin.  I want you to rest.”

When I finally submitted myself to the idea that this year would be about rest, I started to think about what that actually meant.  Soon, I realized that the rest God wants for me in this season of my life isn’t the physical rest of inactivity and it certainly isn’t laziness.  As a matter of fact, there is a LOT of activity going on in my life right now (chasing after 5-year-olds all day tends to be a pretty active job.)  Instead, rest for me looks like resting in God’s promises.  Resting in His provision.  Resting in His faithfulness and His infinite love.  Resting in everything He is and everything I am in Him.

So what am I resting in, specifically?

God promises that when life gets hard – when the storm rages and the fires roar – He will see me through.  I am resting in His promise to protect me through it all.

God promises to make all things work together for my good and His glory.  I am resting in His goodness, even when I don’t see it manifest the way I want it to.

God promises to lead me the way a shepherd leads a sheep.  Carefully, intentionally, lovingly.  I am resting in my Shepherd’s expert care and guidance.

God promises to be everything I need and more than I expect.  I am resting in His arms, trusting Him to provide for every need in a way that only He can do.