The Disservice we do when 

we don’t tell it like it is

 

Can we talk just a bit about a worrying concern in regard to the upcoming generations and possibly something you have faced too?

Do you agree with me that all too often our world is handed a very shallow version of Christianity? Maybe you were brought up in a church culture that promoted youth groups, Sunday school classes, worship nights, camps, conferences, Bible studies and the like, which, by the way, are all good things. Maybe there were altar calls and emotional decisions made under pressure and you wanted and desired to ‘feel close to God’ but for some reason there wasn’t any depth.

There was very little actual discipleship. Maybe you weren’t taught how to study the Bible or defend the faith or how to stand firm on what you believed or even articulate what you believed.

And now, as the world around you gets darker and more hostile towards the Christian faith, you realise that the Christianity you were brought up with was very shallow.

Maybe you weren’t taught much theology. Don’t be afraid of that word. In a nutshell, it just means the study of the nature of God and his truth.

Maybe you weren’t taught how to study the Bible for yourself, instead relying on the Pastors and teachers in your church to do the hard work and spoon feed you. Possibly you weren’t taught well how to persevere under pressure or how to exercise discernment.

You were taught of God’s love and how to respond emotionally to the invitation, the lights, the music. You were taught that Jesus is the way and he can make your life better. You were taught that he was the source of your fulfilment. There was a lot of feelings, but not a lot of strong, deep-rooted faith.

And then adulthood hit. And life got hard. Marriage was difficult. Child raising was on another level. Prayers went unanswered for months or years. Anxiety was at all-time high. Your faith started costing something. And suddenly, the Christianity built mostly on feelings was no longer enough.

Emotional Christianity works fine when life is easy and things are going well. But what happens when your world comes crashing down? What happens when life gets hard and the struggles pull you to pieces? What happens when unexpected suffering arrives and the waves crash heavy overhead?

A faith built mostly on feelings will eventually collapse. It cannot be sustained. It won’t survive the storms.

I say this with humility and without any sense of pride as one who has it all under control. Because I do not. And I did not. That’s not to say that I wasn’t brought up with the right values and the right tools. It’s just that I have spent years realising that I didn’t know much. And that’s my fault. For a long time, I didn’t see the need to be discipling myself in the Word of God. I didn’t see the need for in depth study.

And I think this is why so many are ‘deconstructing’ their faith now. Not because they didn’t love God, but because there wasn’t much of a foundation underneath the emotional Christianity they experienced. They are deconstructing a faith that had very little theological foundation to begin with. They were handed a shallow version of Christianity based on feelings and emotional experiences and not biblical discipleship.  

I wonder if many Christians feel betrayed. They were told that being a Christian would make their life better, and they would be fulfilled, whole, successful, happy. And then life hit. Real life. The nitty gritty hard things.

The Word of God and Jesus himself never promised a bed of roses. He never promised an easy life. He told us to remain steadfast. Endure hardship. Overcome temptation. Stand firm. Persevere. Expect tribulations and trials.

But our modern church culture wants to keep those things hidden behind a curtain and instead portrays a very different sort of Christianity. It’s exciting. It promises wealth. Happiness.

God is love. God forgives. God cares. God will prosper you. God cares for you.

And yes, all of these things are true and backed up by Scripture. But we are doing the new Christians a disservice by not teaching them the hard truths and by not being diligent in our discipleship of them.

We are neglecting to teach them how to study the Word of God for themselves and the need to ‘try the spirits’ (1 John 4:1) to keep from falling prey to false teachers or to “search the scriptures daily” as did the Bereans in order to make sure what Paul and Silas were teaching was legit. (Acts 17:11)

I, for one, don’t want my children or grandchildren raised on emotionalism or feel-good Christianity. I want them grounded in the Word. I want them to know what they believe and why they believe it. I want their faith to be firmly rooted in Scripture. I want them to know truth. To learn from it. To practice biblical discernment. I want them to love God deeply and not crumble when life gets too hard. I want them to stand firm and hold fast even when it costs them something.

I want them to have a love for God and for his Word. I want them to be always searching and learning more of what the Bible teaches. I want them to be able to interpret verses, in context, and expound on them to others, humbly accepting correction if they have something wrong. I want them to have a desire for the whole counsel of God. Not just the easy, feel-good parts or the promises that bring comfort. I want them to feel uncomfortable with hard truth. I want them to let the Word of God pierce them (Hebrews 4:12) just as it does me the more, I read and study it.

Ask yourself this question. “What kind of faith are you passing down to your children? What kind of Christianity are you teaching in your Sunday School classes? Your youth groups? Your Bible studies?”

Perhaps some of today’s generation are beginning to search for something more solid. Maybe they are done with the lights, the fog machines, the hype. But what do we have to offer?

Only ritualism and traditions? Or do we have an authentic, Bible based, God-fearing, but loving Christianity?

Are we training our men and women to search out the Scriptures? Are we truly discipling them?

There is a growing problem in our world today amongst Christians. Bible illiteracy. Bible illiteracy is widespread. Bible literacy is not dependant on church attendance – sitting in church each week doesn’t guarantee you will go home with a better understanding of the Bible or who God is.

Bible literacy involves a deeper awareness of the meaning of what’s in the Bible. It’s the ability to rightly read and understand the Bible by using the proper tools of study.

Bible literacy involves a person’s ability to read the Bible with enough understanding to explain its basic meaning and comprehend what is meant.

Bible Study goes even deeper than Bible literacy - it is more rigorous and detail-focused. It is research focused interpretation (known as exegesis- the careful analytical study of scripture). It involves more than reading for meaning. Bible study focuses on the world behind the text such as the biblical culture and context, the archaeology and geography that support the Bible.  The social issues and events at the time the writers wrote the text.

Bible study looks into the heart of the text through word studies and language meaning etc. But Bible study doesn’t need to be complex. (More on this is this post - Bible Study)

Studying the Bible naturally leads to increase in Bible literacy.

I think this is where we are failing our new converts. We are not properly teaching them how to read and study their Bibles. And it’s a shame. It leads to shallow Christianity. And shallow Christianity doesn’t hold up under pressure.

Discipleship is hard. And if you are someone who is working with a new Chrisitan, you’ll know it’s no walk in the park. But it is so worth it. We need to be raising a new generation of strong, faith-filled, deeply rooted, discerning, obedient, tested and tried and come forth as gold, Christians!

Let’s forgo the shallow Christianity and replace it something real! Don’t hide the truth. Let the truth speak for itself. Teach the truth. All the truth.

John 8:32 KJV - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.              

 

 

 

 

 

Is there Pain in your Praise?

 

I have loved to sing since my very earliest memory. Whether it was singing at the top of my lungs while I swung back and forth on a rope and board swing in the backyard as a child, or singing with a group of kids at Sunday School, shouting loudly, “I’m in the Lord’s Army”, or humming under my breath as I worked in my local supermarket as a teenager, or singing through tears as I stood before the congregation of our church sharing in song a message full of hope and comfort. Whatever the case, I loved to sing and I still do. Unfortunately, my voice has not aged well, and I struggle to reach the notes and keep my voice steady nowadays.

But I want to speak about something I’ve discovered over the years.

In my younger years and even in my newly married and raising toddler years, I sang about God. I sang the hymns at church, I sang specials with my family, I played the songs on the piano and knew the words by heart, but let me tell you, anyone can sing about a God they’ve heard about, but there’s a different sound that comes from someone who has walked through the fire, stumbled through the valleys and made it out alive.

Because when you walk through what seems like Hell, and you make it through alive, you come out CHANGED!

When the fires should have destroyed you, and God carries you through it, you come out different. When the storms of life see waves crashing overhead with such fierce that you feel you’re going under for the last time, and you find your footing on solid ground, you come out changed!

Darkness has a way of changing you. Valleys have a way of transforming you. Storms have a way of growing your faith.

Over they years, I’ve walked through many fires, and yes, some of those were in those early years, but the songs that come from my lips now hold a different sound. There is pain in my praise. I no longer only sing about a God I’ve heard about or a God I’ve read about, but I sing about a God who has walked with me through many trials. A God who has walked through the fire with me. A God who has weathered the storms alongside me. A God who stayed. When everything else fell apart. A God who remained faithful even when there was doubt in my heart and words of hurt on my lips. (Isaiah 43:2)

Anybody can talk about God or sing about God when life is easy, but when you cry real tears, when you face real fire, when you deal with real heartbreak and pain, when you fight real battles and survive real nights of anxiety and worry, and still lift your hands in praise anyway, that worship hits different.

There are some things you only learn about God in the fire.

You learn his peace when your world is falling apart. You learn his love when you experience heartache. You learn of his faithfulness when everybody else leaves and you are left standing alone. You learn so much of his character when you walk through hard things and he remains beside you.

You learn that he is near to the broken hearted when you see that he meets you where you are and doesn’t leave you. (Psalm 34:18)

And so, today, as I sing the same songs I have sung for 50 years, the words hit different. They hold more meaning. They speak volumes to me.

When I sing of his amazing grace, I understand what it means that he saved a wretch like me. When I sing about Heaven, I am overjoyed at the prospect of a future in eternity in the presence of my Father. When I sing of his goodness and mercy following me as I walk through the valleys, I know what it means. I’ve been there. I’ve experienced it. When I sing about tomorrow and what it holds, I know without a shadow of a doubt that he will be there, in my tomorrows, because he has proved faithful, over and over. And because he lives, I can face the future, with hope and with a peace that only he can give.

So, when you see me sing songs about God, don’t ever think I’m singing about someone I don’t know, be assured that every part of my being knows who he is and I will sing until there is no voice left in me. I will raise my hands in praise to him. I will let the tears flow unhindered down my cheeks. My voice may falter and shake but there is pain in my praise. And I won’t apologize for it.

I will stand in awe of a God who knows me intimately yet still chooses to love me. I will stand in worship of a God who sees me fall and yet keeps stretching out his hand to pick me up.

Never be ashamed of the way the message of a song hits you as you relive those hard moments in your life and remember God’s goodness to you. Praise him anyway. Let there be pain in your praise. Keep praising him. During the storm. After the storm. Before the next one arrives. Praise him anyway.

“Let not your harp then hang upon the willows but take it down, and strive, with a grateful heart, to bring forth its loudest music. Arise and chant His praise. With every morning’s dawn, lift up your notes of thanksgiving, and let every setting sun be followed with your song. Belt the earth with your praises; surround it with an atmosphere of melody, and God Himself will hearken from heaven and accept your music.”   

 C. Spurgeon

 

 

 

 

 

Listen with your Eyes

 

I’m going to show my age here, and maybe some can relate to what I’m about to say, but if not, then come along for the ride anyway and let’s see what we can learn from this thought.

Listening requires quiet.

Have you ever found yourself, driving to a new area, perhaps looking for that little coffee shop you want to try out, or possibly trying to find the street number of a house you’ve never been to before. Windows down, music playing over the speakers and instinctively, you reach for the volume dial, turning the music down to a quiet hum, or off completely, because you need to see!

You turn the music off because you need to see where you’re going. You hush those in the car, “Be quiet! I can’t see!”

This happens to me on the regular. Just ask my daughters. If we are driving into the city, in a more heavily trafficked area, or manoeuvring into a tricky parking space, I need quiet.

Logically, it makes absolutely no sense! You see with your eyes! NOT your ears!

Our brains have limited processing powers. When loud sounds, or complex music demand our attention, our brains divert resources away from our visual cortex to focus on the noise, making it harder to concentrate on complex visual tasks, like parking or finding our way in a new area.

Silence helps the brain thrive by allowing it to focus on processing and regulating information more effectively. So, there is a science behind my need for quiet at times, it’s not just old age.

It is true that what you hear, affects what you see. Too much noise clouds your focus.

One speaker said it like this, “Noise doesn’t just distract your ears, it disrupts your vision.”

What we listen to affects how we see.

Let’s bring this thought home.

If you can’t hear God, you also can’t see where he is leading you. When there is too much noise in your mind and in the environment around you, it’s harder to ‘see’ God.

We need quiet.

The concept of God’s presence in the quiet is a theme found all throughout the Bible. The theme is woven into the very fabric of Scripture, and it illustrates clearly how God often reveals himself not in the chaos and noise, but in the quiet moments of life.

One of the most well-known examples of God’s presence in the quiet is found in the story of Elijah on Mount Horeb. (1 Kings 19) After he runs from Jezebel, he experiences some crazy things. We see him deal with a powerful wind, an earthquake, and a fire. But God was not in those things, all though he caused them. His presence wasn’t in the chaos; it was in the stillness. In the still, small, voice.

In Psalm 46:10 the concept is reinforced with the command to “Be still and know that I am God”. This verse calls for us to cease striving and focus on God’s sovereignty. It suggests a quietness that is needed in experiencing God’s presence.

I won’t go into the history of having a ‘quiet time’ or where and when the phrase was coined, but we do know and Scripture backs it up, that setting aside time to spend with God is of utmost importance, whatever you like to call it.  Even the Lord Jesus saw it as important, withdrawing to solitary places for communion and prayer with his Father. (Mark 1:35)

The primary purpose of having time with God is to deepen our relationship with him and to learn from him, drawing close through prayer, reading of the Scripture, and meditating on it.

So, in order to see God more clearly, to learn of his character, we need quiet. We need times of quiet. We might listen with our ears and see with our eyes, but we need the world to shush, so that we can see.

Be quiet, I can’t see!

In a world so filled with constant noise and activity, this call to stillness and seeking God’s presence in the quiet is both countercultural and also deeply transformative. It invites us as believers to step away from our busyness and the things that distract us and find strength in the stillness.

It’s hard to hear God speak when we are letting the world shout in our ears. The devil screams in our busyness but God speaks in the stillness.

What we hear, affects what we see. And if we are letting the noise of the world keep our ears busy, we will become blind to what God has for us. It won’t just distract our ears, it will cloud our vision.

So yes, I will continue to turn the music down when I need to focus and I will most likely still be ridiculed by the younger generation for this ‘old age’ habit, but I will also intentionally practice sitting quiet before the Lord so that I can see better.

Listen with your eyes and see what you can see!

 

 

 

 

The Pathway we didn’t know

 we needed to follow

In my last post, I wrote about the fact that God often chooses not to remove the pressure we are facing but instead increases our strength to bear it. 

(Read it here - Praying upside down)

It was an eye-opening moment for me to realise that I had been praying for the wrong thing. I needed to be praying for God’s strength to enable me to bear the pressures of life, not just to remove them!

I want to dig into this a little deeper for a few minutes.

Doing some reading today, I came across something I hadn’t thought about before and realised it was a crucial link in this search and longing for strength.

Did you know that there is a pathway in the Word of God to get this strength we so desperately need? Most of us, as Christians, are trying to get it the wrong way.

We pray harder, we fast longer, we read more….but we’re missing the actual path that God laid out for us.

What do we do when life gets hard? I know what I do. Usually, my first request is for Him to remove the pressure, take away the burden, give me relief. Then I ask God for strength. I ask him for courage, for power to keep going.

And there is nothing inherently wrong with that.

Except, I’m starting at the finish line.

You know, God’s strength isn’t something you just ‘ask for’ and receive. Magically. Instantly. It’s not a microwave blessing.

There is an actual sequence God established and laid out in the Word of God. It’s a pathway of sorts. And most of us skip right over it.

Have a look at what it says in the last part of Nehemiah 8:10.

Nehemiah 8:10b……..for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Did you catch that? “the joy of the Lord is your strength”.

It’s not the prayers, it’s not the fasting, it’s not the reading, although all of that is good and helpful. It’s the JOY OF THE LORD. That is what is our strength.

This changes everything.

So, this begs the question, if JOY is the source of our strength, then how do we get this joy? Because, let’s face it, when you’re struggling, when you’re down and out, when you’re heartbroken, burnt out, at your wit’s end, “JOY” feels absolutely impossible!

But remember I said that it was a pathway? Keep going with that line of thought. Let’s look at another verse.

Psalm 16:11 KJV - Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Where do I get this joy? The answer is in this verse. In his presence!

Joy comes from being in God’s presence.

Joy doesn’t come from our situation changing. It doesn’t come from getting what we want. It doesn’t come from the struggle being over.

It comes from being with HIM. With God. In his presence.

Let’s trace this back to the beginning. Stay with me.

You need STRENGTH to face what lies ahead.

Strength comes from JOY.

Joy comes from His PRESENCE.

This is it. This is the pathway. This is what we’re missing.

So, when life becomes unbearable, when you struggle under the weight of your circumstances, when you feel you can’t take another step, don’t just beg for strength. Don’t just ask for removal of the pressure.

Get into God’s presence.

This means worshipping when you don’t feel like it. Praying when your thoughts are running wild and you don’t feel calm enough to come to him. Sitting still in silence when you just want to scream and run. Just BE with him.

This is where the joy comes. This is where joy begins to rise. And this joy brings strength.

We read over and over in the Psalms how King David spent time in God’s presence. He understood the sequence. Yes, he lamented. Yes, he poured out his heart to God in desperation. Yes, he understood despair and abandonment and suffering. But he also understood that the pathway to strength was to be found in God’s presence.

Presence – joy – strength.

We have to stop trying to get strength on our own terms. We have to stop chasing it. We have to chase his presence instead.

We have to take time to sit. To be still. To just be with God.

Open your Bible and read. Meditate on what you read. Think about it. Dwell on it. Sit with it. Pray aloud the verses back to God. Claim the promises. Talk to him like a loving Father, because that is what he is. He longs to spend time with you.

Joy is a tremendous source of strength. We all know the science, so I won’t go into it all except to say that happier, more thankful people do better during illness. Joy often helps us forget our pain as we change our perspective.

Joy can come from many places. People and circumstances. But people fail and circumstances change. And so, the joy level decreases.

But when we rely on God as our source of joy and let the joy of the Lord be our strength, we are trusting in One who is constant, never changing, and ever-present.

Joy is rooted in God’s character. Joy has the power to lift our hearts above our circumstances and strength begins to flow as discouragement loses its grip.  Joy fuels our endurance and enables us to keep going.

But to receive this joy, we need to be in God’s presence regularly. Not just in a Sunday morning worship service or a mid-week prayer meeting.

We have to be intentional about meeting with God daily.

Let me give you 5 things to help you seek out God’s presence to pave the pathway to the strength you need:

1.        Embrace silence and solitude – this is a hard one in our fast-paced world and it’s easy to overlook the importance of it. God often speaks in the silence, in the quiet moments when the distractions fade away. Embracing solitude allows us to reflect, pray and connect with God on a deeper level.

How you choose to do this is up to you. I like to go for a walk or climb up on the roof and watch the sunset or listen to quiet worship music while I drive.

2.        Engage in prayer – prayer is one of the most direct ways to seek God’s presence. It is a conversation between us and God, allowing us to express our fears, thoughts, gratitude. It is more than just reciting words, it is a dialogue with a divine, holy, righteous and loving God with whom you can share your life and receive guidance on how to move forward. Make time for prayer. Pray as you lay awake in the middle of the night. Pray before you even set foot out of bed. Pray throughout your day.

3.        Study Scripture – this is one of my favourite way’s to be in God’s presence. Studying scripture is a very powerful tool for deepening your relationship with God and strengthening your faith. As you study, you learn more of God’s character and how to navigate life’s challenges. As you dig deeper into the Word, you find treasures that give you a better understanding of who God is and who you are and how to grow in your faith. There are so many ways and methods to studying scripture, but if you’re just starting out, start simple. It can be as simple as getting a notebook and a reading plan and noting down verses that stand out to you and then looking into the words that you don’t understand or topics you want to explore. The important part is that you do it. Seek God’s presence through reading and studying his Word.

4.        Practice Gratitude – I have written extensively on this topic as it has made such an impact on my life. One of the ways of being in God’s presence is taking time to thank him for all he has done in your life. Being intentional about expressing gratitude to God bring so much joy. It shifts your focus off what you don’t have and onto what you do have and helps to reconnect you with God. One of the simplest ways to do this is to keep a journal. Write down 3 things each and every day that you are thankful for and bring them before the Lord in worshipful gratitude. Be thankful and watch your joy grow.

5.        Serve others – the act of selflessly giving back to others imitates God’s teachings and reveals his love to others. Serving shifts our focus off ourselves and onto others and reflects the heart of God. You experience God’s presence as you work for him by giving to those in need. Look for ways to help others, whether in your community or church or neighbourhood. As you serve, God goes with you and you find his presence a comforting and encouraging companion.

So, let’s remember the sequence.

Presence – Joy- Strength.

Seek God’s presence. As you do so, he brings joy and as you experience the joy of the Lord, he gives you the strength you need.

Psalm 95:1-2 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

 

 

 

Praying Upside Down

 

Just last week I wrote about the increasing weariness I’ve been feeling, mentally, physically, spiritually. And I know I’m not the only one experiencing this at this present moment.

We are all going through our particular ‘hard’ and no one has the right to question your ‘hard’ and downplay it as we all go through things differently. So, your hard may not be my hard.

But whatever the case, everyone is dealing with stuff.

As I sat sipping my coffee in the quiet of the morning, I flicked through a list of verses, looking for the right one to send to someone to be an encouragement as they walk through their particular ‘hard’.

The Lord brought this comforting verse to my attention.

Isaiah 40:29 KJV - He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

And in that moment, I realised this was the verse I needed for today. Not just for the recipient of my text, but for me!

I needed the reminder that God gives strength. Oh, how I long to attain to verse 31. Running without weariness. Walking without fainting.

So, as I often do, I did a quick search on my blog for some encouragement from an old post.

And then God dropped his bombshell!

“God’s ways of answering his people’s prayers is not by removing the pressure, but by increasing their strength to bear it” D. L. Moody

Over the past few weeks, all too often, I’ve complained to God and others about my weariness. My workload. My mental load. My lack of time alone to sit in God’s presence without distraction.

I’ve prayed for a removal of pressure.

But God seems distant. Stubbornly refusing to grant my request.

But the realisation hit me this morning. Have I been praying upside down? Have I been praying the wrong way? Could it be true that I am asking for the wrong thing?

I have been asking him to take away the pressure. Take away the load. And all the while, he has been wanting me to come to him with a very different request.

I feel him calling me to ask for strength. Not for removal of the pressure, but for more strength to bear it!

This verse in Isaiah tells us that when we have no might, he increases our strength. But I think he expects us to ask for it. God longs for us to verbalise what we feel inside and come to him in prayer, laying out our burdens so that he can carry them.

His way of answering our prayers is often altogether different than what we expect.

We ask for patience, he gives us trials.

We ask for healing, he gives us pain.

We ask for financial increase, he gives us lack.

And it’s not because he doesn’t love us. It’s because HE DOES!

God knows exactly what we need in order for us to grow. He knows just what to send into our lives in order to make us more like him. He knows that storms make us stronger. The winds that blow cause us to put down deeper roots and develop a greater trust in him.

And so, as I ask for removal of pressure, he instead encourages me to ask for strength to bear it.

We don’t always understand the mysterious ways God works, but we do know that he is a good Father and he wants what is best for his children. Even if it means walking through fire so that we might see him in there beside us.

As I read this quote today, I was stopped in my tracks abruptly.

I have been praying upside down.

I have been convicted that I need to change my prayer. I need to pray for strength.

God has seen fit to place me where I am, in the situations I am in, with the tiredness that I feel in this present moment. And who am I to question him?

And so, can I encourage you today, as I am encouraging myself right now, to pray for strength.

Pray for the strength to be able to bear whatever it is you are going through today. God is more than able to meet that need. He is more than able to give you wings to mount up as eagles. He is more than able to give you feet that run without weariness.

Stop asking God to remove the pain.

Instead, ask him to give you more strength!

He can do it!

Ephesians 3:20 KJV - Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us

 

God gives wings,
God gives wings as eagles;
God gives wings to fly and strength to rise above.
God gives wings,
God gives wings as eagles,
when my feet begin to stumble,
and my dreams begin to crumble,
I mount up on eagles’ wings.

 

 

 

 

It’s time to get away

 

Running flat out. Deadlines looming. Jumping from one task to the other. Hastily doing chores at breakneck speed. No stopping to catch your breath. Falling exhausted into bed each night. Dragging yourself out of bed at first light. Rinse repeat. Spin. Hang. Take down. And do all over again.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Over the past few weeks, I have felt myself becoming increasingly weary. In body, soul and spirit.

I have felt God calling me to rest but the siren song of my to do list screams so loudly, his still, small voice is overpowered by the din of the noise in my head.

I look for small windows of time to sit in his presence, longing to hear his voice, to meditate on his word and just be quiet, resting in him. And yet, it alludes me.

But the crash inevitably comes.

Why do we consistently prioritize the urgent over the important? Why is it that so often we resist rest? Are we often like the people we read of in the book of Isaiah? Are we refusing to hear God calling us to rest in him?

Isaiah 28:12 KJV - To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Do we need to return to the ancient paths?

Jeremiah 6:16 KJV - Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

At the end of last year, as I prayed about the word God had for me in 2026, I felt him calling me to rest. Part of me wanted to laugh out loud, knowing the life I lead and the little rest I get.

I used to think that rest meant stopping. Doing less. But then I would unplug. Slow down. Take a holiday and yet still feel tired. Less busy but unsettled.

The ‘rest’ I was trying to achieve was not just physical. My soul cried out for rest. Not just a physical rest (which I knew was unachievable) but a more deep and personal, resting in him. I felt God calling me to lean more heavily on him. I needed soul rest.

In Hebrew, the word for rest is Nuach. It holds so much meaning. More than we think when we casually use the word ‘rest’.

It has the idea of being settled. To come to stable ground. Comforted. At peace. A ceasing from struggling. Letting fall. Letting go. Being quiet. Remaining. Withdrawing. Waiting quietly.

Interestingly, this word is the same word as used in the account of the flood in Noah’s day. (Genesis 8:4). The ark came to rest. It found stable ground. A firm footing.

I realized that in 2026, although I knew the year would hold many surprises for me and there would be unexpected detours along my path, I needed to learn to rest. It wasn’t that I needed to escape (although that would be nice), no, what I needed was stability in the middle of pressure. A firm footing while the flood waters still surrounded me.

And so, rest is not inactivity. Rest is standing on firm ground.

As one author puts it, “Rest isn’t just laying down and clearing your mind. It’s retraining your mind to turn over the problems to the only one who is able to work them all out.”

Where are your feet planted? You have to choose your ground before the storm chooses it for you.

You have to choose to stand firm on the Word of God. Hold to its promises.

For me practically, this meant learning to wait on the Lord. Learning to be more intentional with times of rest. Learning not to step into it if God hadn’t called me to it. And most of all, learning to let go, relinquish control and with open hands and heart, give it all over to God. The only one who was able to carry it.

As I write this, we are already into the month of May, the year has flown by so quickly. So, am I learning to rest? Honestly, I think I’m doing better, but I have a long way to go.

In general, we all define rest in different ways. Because we are all unique beings, we all rest differently. In the physical sense, it may be that a walk by the ocean calms you. Or maybe a walk through the bush listening to the sounds of the leaves blowing in the breeze or the birds singing. Maybe it’s lying on the grass looking up at the stars or a hot cup of coffee while reading a good book.

These things are all good and needful things to help give us a physical reset, but what I find I need more than anything is a spiritual reset.

I need time to sit in God’s presence. Intentionally. With purpose. With an open heart. With listening ears.

This is the place I find myself in today. My days have been so full it’s been hard to make time for the rest I need. And it’s beginning to show. There are signs. Maybe you’re familiar with some of them?

·       Extreme fatigue

·       Difficulty sleeping

·       Decreased concentration

·       Negativity, irritability

·       Changes in appetite, weight loss or gain

·       Social withdrawal

·       General feeling of malaise

·       Weariness and a feeling of going through the motions with no passion

Need I go on?

Although carving out time to rest physically is often challenging, I think that it’s a lot harder to bring about a spiritual reset. It takes more effort. And yes, I often do this while being out in nature, standing in awe as I look up at the colours God paints in the sky. But there is something so refreshing about being in his Word. Meditating on scripture. Talking to him in prayer. Putting pen to paper and writing the promises of God.

There is something that brings so much more peace and settled comfort to your soul and that is sitting in God’s presence with the Word of God open before you, letting him teach you, lead you, guide you.

We are all familiar with the verse in Matthew 11:28 that calls us to rest. Here, the Lord Jesus was quoting from the Old Testament in the book of Exodus.

Moses asked God to help him to know the Father better and in response God replied, “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Exodus 33:14

God was telling Moses that if he faithfully followed the Lord’s commands, he promised rest. And it is the same for us today. When we take the time to know God, through reading his Word, through prayer and obedience, he brings the rest we need and we are ‘settled’. Comforted and refreshed.

We are often ‘heavy laden’ with the cares of this life, and God calls us to rest. Not a change of location, but a change of lifestyle.

It is crucial that we change our mindset. We have to change our thinking so that we don’t see rest as a reward but as a necessary part of our walk with Christ. We need rest for him to bring renewal and refreshing.

Our times of rest are not a one-off thing. We need to continually take times of rest. Don’t wait until you’re burnt out to finally stop. Don’t wait until you find yourself at breaking point.

If you work from a place of pressure and stress, you’ll burn out. But if you work from a place of trust and rest, you’ll settle. You’ll find your soul refreshed.

We have to prioritize these 3 things.

1.       Spiritual health

2.       Physical health

3.       Mental health

I like to have practical tips to help with my understanding, so if you do too, here are some that might help.

For your spiritual health:

1.       Seek out a resting place. Find somewhere easily accessible that you can meet with God. Preferably as uninterrupted as possible. (in saying this, I have been interrupted no less than 4 times by unexpected visits while trying to write, but God knows my heart’s desire). Find a time that works for you in your season of life. You may find early mornings are better, or evenings might suit. There is no perfect time. But you have to make time for it. (Psalm 132:14)

 

2.       Sit in his presence. Once you find your resting place, sit and listen. It may take time for the noises in your head to settle but listen with your heart and mind. You may find that like me, you need a pen and paper nearby to write down any distracting thoughts that you can go back over at a later time. Just focus on sitting quietly in God’s presence. (Psalm 16:11)

 

3.       Set your mind on things above. We are told to focus on heavenly things (Colossians 3:1-2). It’s easy to get caught up with everything we have to do but God wants us to take time to get an eternal perspective about what matters most. Ask him to help you slow down and notice what he wants you to notice. Maybe it’s a passage of scripture. Maybe it’s a character trait he wants you to work on. Maybe it’s a word that needs a little more digging into to understand it’s true meaning. Maybe it’s a person that he puts on your heart to pray for.

Your spiritual health is the most important part of your life, and it has to be prioritized and put at the top of the list.

Next, think about your physical health. I’m not going to go into depth here as you should know your body well enough to know what it needs. If you don’t, then seek help, do some research and learn how to be a good steward of your body. It is the temple of God, and we are to look after it as best we can. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Lastly, your mental health. It is crucial that you think about what you’re thinking about. It’s the difference between thriving or surviving. Do a daily debrief and ask yourself some questions.

What untrue thoughts were loudest in my mind today?
What truths from God counter those thoughts?
What are my most dominant emotions today?
What are the roots of those emotions?
What can I let go of before I sleep?
What promise from God can I rest in tonight?

What you tell yourself plays a very important role in how you feel and how you feel affects how you act and how you act affects your future. Be careful about what voices you listen to.

All of these things will enable you to rest more fully. In body, soul and spirit.

For some reason, we have this idea that we must constantly be doing, doing, doing. But God modelled rest for us numerous times in the Bible, and he called his people to rest. And he calls you to rest today.

We have to find the balance of rest and work.

Don’t get to the point where God has to force rest upon you. Why do you think in Psalm 23 we are told that he ‘makes us lie down in green pastures’? It’s because we often have to be forced to sit still. We often have to be forced to rest.

I am working on resting more this year and the benefits are many. I wish I could rest more physically and have more days at home or more times to be out in nature, watching the clouds roll by, but for now, God has seen fit to fill my days with busyness. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t make time to sit in his presence. He will always give us windows of opportunity if we prioritize our relationship with him above all else.

Ask him to help you make the time. Ask him to help you work out your schedule to be a better steward of your time. We waste many opportunities by mindlessly scrolling on our phones when we could be in his Word. I know for me this is often the case.

If you are too busy to spend time with the Lord, then you are too busy. It doesn’t matter if that busyness is family or even church ministry. If you are not making time to develop a closer relationship with the Lord, if other things are taking priority, then you need to take inventory and make adjustments.

God needs to come first. His Word comes first. His commands come first.

And he commands us to rest.

Take time to rest.

It’s a lot harder to hear God’s whispers to your heart

if you’re running too fast to hear him speak.