Real Rest is Hard

Be still. The Latin term is vacate, from which we get the English word vacation. The invitation of prayer anytime, anywhere is this: Take a vacation. -Tyler Staton

As I am writing this, my wife and kids are all asleep, so the house is quiet. This week is spring break, and I am home with my family. The church I serve at has a christian school where most of the staff’s kids attend; so when schools out, we take time off too. I usually find it hard to rest on weeks like this.

Rest vs Free Time

I am a doer, so even when I am not working, I am constantly filling my time with tasks, cleaning, learning something on YouTube, spending too much time looking at guitars on Reverb, or obsessing over the latest thing that has peaked my interest. Everything I just listed is not restful, in fact, these things drain me.

Rest-cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.

Real rest replenishes energy, refreshes us. Sleep is rest, when I go to sleep I am tired and when I wake up (if I allowed myself enough time) I am reenergized.

Why is it difficult to do the things I know are restful when I have free time?

Welcome to question that I wrestle with all the time. I am going to try and answer this for myself.

1. PRIDE. I like to control as much as possible, usually I’m pretty good at it, that’s why I keep trying to control more and more. I like to control my time, cross things off the list, do and do and do and control and control. Why? This makes me feel good, competent, and worthy.
2. FEAR. A lot of the things I do is in fact because I’m scared. I am really productive when there’s something I’m afraid of. I get a lot of goodish things done when I don’t want to do what really matters. Fear of failure, and also fear of slowing down and resting with the Lord because I am relinquishing control (as if I was ever actually in control).

Why rest anyway?

Mark 2:27-28 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.

I must do things that put energy back into the tank, otherwise I will not make it to my destination. God designed us in his image, but we are not the same. God doesn’t get tired, and I seem to always be tired. He is sufficient, I am insufficient. I need sleep, he has never slept and is everywhere all the time. God made the sabbath for us because it’s what is best for us.

Be Still

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God.

The Sons of Korah wrote this Psalm. You’ve probably hear it. It makes this connection with knowledge of God and stillness. I think we can all agree that busyness definitely prevents us from truly knowing God. But, what’s cool about this psalm is that the verses before it say this:

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.

God is in control, even in the midst of war, chaos, injustice, busyness, anxiety, worry, loss, infidelity, failure; He just utters a sound and it all stops.

Stillness shows me who is actually in control

Remember my issues? Pride and fear. Stillness humbles me and makes me stop and proves to me that I am not in control of anything. Growing in the knowledge of God shows me that God is all powerful and sufficient and everywhere and all good and doesn’t need sleep to do all of that all the time.

I AM NOT IN CONTROL.

Praise God.

Trade in anxiety for peace

Pray like it’s a vacation, because it is. Our Father wants us to stop and pray and realize He’s got it all handled.

7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

He doesn’t get anxious or overwhelmed like I do. View prayer as a restful break from our busy lives. Vacate. Be still, and know that God can handle the rest.

Try this.

I recently read Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler Staton. In one of his chapters he encourages the readers to be still every day. I have been doing this and holy cow it has been a game changer. Hard, but effective. Here’s the secret formula.

1. Sit down in a quiet place.
2. Feet on the ground, palms opened upward.
3. Set your iPhone timer for 2 minutes.
4. Pray, “Come Lord Jesus” or “Abba, I belong to you” or “teach me to be still so that I can know you Lord” or whatever you want.
5. Be still and silent for 2 minutes.
6. Repeat daily