The Call to Rest

When I knew that I would be stepping down from Mom2Mom as the Leader, I was so excited about the opportunity to just do nothing.  Then I got excited about the opportunity to do things that I had not had time to do.  I could finally get back to blogging, I could get that new design template installed, I could start working on the book with Scott, I could get the closets reorganized upstairs, I could..I could...I could.  My list just kept growing.

I was advised by many very godly women to enjoy this time of rest because God is preparing to do something big with me.

Enjoy this time of rest?

No problem!  At least that is what I thought.  God is giving me time to rest & I don't know how to do it!  He has had me so busy the past 5 or 6 years and for the first time in a really long time I'm not preparing to teach, organize a group or coordinate an activity for moms!  I'm just a wife and mom.  I never dreamed it would be so hard to rest.  I keep thinking about all the things I could be doing and I'm not.  My mind won't stop.

I know that resting is important.  Our souls need rest.  I also know that God can provide rest in the midst of our busyness, but there are those times that he actually calls us to actually be still.

He leads us into a season of rest.

Psalm 23:2
   He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

He needs us to rest especially during his "silent" times, when it seems our prayers are going unanswered.

Psalm 37:7

Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;

He tells us to STOP, so that we can let His presence wash us away instead of our busyness

Psalm 46:10

"Step out of the traffic! Take a long,  loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything."(MSG)

Resting was so very important to Jesus. Just for fun, search the Gospels for every time Jesus drew away from the crowd or told the disciples they needed to rest.  He did it a lot and if He knew the importance of if, we should learn from his example.

My favorite verse in the Gospels concerning this is in Mark 6:31,

Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

How calming that verse is to my soul!  I have taken that as a personal invitation from Jesus to rest.Unfortunately, it is easier said than done.  Some new habits must be formed in order to truly rest.  Some things (or maybe a lot of things) need to be taken off the schedule.  Or maybe you just need to change up what is on the schedule. It must be a conscious effort.  When the Lord is calling you into a season of rest, you can't continue in your regular routine.  The good thing is that He has probably changed your routine for you.  He took from me what took up most of my time, Mom2Mom.  He knew that if I were to rest the way he needs me to, Mom2Mom must go.  Doesn't mean I won't struggle with the habit of "busyness".

I don't know what the conclusion to all of this is for me.  I'm just now getting started with my own call to rest.  But, I would appreciate your prayers for me as I learn to be still, really still.  I look forward to all that God has to teach me.  I am looking forward to the "quiet waters" and "green pastures".

Has God called you to rest?  How did it go?  What did He teach you?  I'd love to hear from you!