Rest = Renewal

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. Psalm 23:2-3 (NLT)

It had been a hectic week. You know the kind. The kind where there aren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done. The week had my patience running low and my mind exhausted trying to keep up with everything I needed to remember to do. Plainly stated … I was overwhelmed. I hadn’t let myself take a break. The kind of break where I walk away from the computer, the phone, the noise, and go to a place where I can just be. Ahh, yes! Psalm 23 reminds me that rest is part of God’s plan for my life.

Daily tasks, to-do lists, emails, deadlines, appointments, phone calls, meetings — so many things we juggle day in and day out. And on top of the usual tasks, there are some days when we just don’t feel well, making it even harder to keep up with life’s responsibilities.

How can we get it all done and find time to rest? We allow God to step in. 

Psalm 23 is such a peaceful picture of rest. It’s good to have a time of renewal —  a time to get rejuvenated and replenished with a dose of quiet calmness poured over our souls. When we take time to step away from all the demands of life, sit quietly in His presence, and read His words of life in the Bible, renewed strength seeps back into our being. We gain fresh perspective. There will always be a to-do list, and life will always have its moments, but if we allow our body a good night’s sleep and fill our soul with a good dose of God’s word, we’ll be able to approach life’s demands with renewed energy and focus.

One of my favorite places to sit and spend time in God’s word is on my back porch, early in the morning. Song birds land in the sprawling Oak tree nearby and provide a note of happiness as another new morning dawns. There’s a special kind of goodness in those moments — it’s called rest.

Where’s your favorite place to sit and rest?

With my whole heart,

♥Diane