Rest

There is something wonderfully refreshing about learning to live from a place of rest rather than striving. Jesus did say “his yoke is easy and his burden is light”.

But there’s no doubt to the world rest is perceived as laziness or inefficiency but perhaps yet again this is an example of the topsy turvy nature of the kingdom?

Making time to spend with our heavenly father could be perceived as madness, yet it’s the time spent with God that transforms us, that releases to us the living water that is so desperately needed by us all.

The contrast is busyness, activity, striving…but all these are about me, what contribution can I make to the world rather than what has Christ done already?

Jesus doesn’t need our help, everything is done, all of it. Surely our “job” is to receive the finished works of grace and be transformed by it and then in turn rub along side others so that they can meet Jesus too? We must learn to do what Jesus did and that is do what the father is doing, but it’s hard to see what daddy is doing when we’re busy dealing with our own agendas.

Rest does not come easily, we’re in a constant battle with ourselves, we’re often desperate for significance, influence, status and power? Yet all God ever asks of us it to be ourselves, truly ourselves, in him.

A while ago I felt inspired to write a book, it’s all about me, but it goes deeper than that. It tells the story of a man desperate to belong, searching for purpose, identity and significance and that the only place I can find that is in Christ and in his presence.

I used to think if I only did this or that, had a unique selling point, something to offer I could make a difference, I always had a project bubbling away, a plan or scheme, sometimes to carry a message, sometimes to make money, but the common ground was it was about what can I do, and in reality, there is noting I can do, I’m all done.

Now I occasionally get asked to speak at events  and in many ways I wonder why, I don’t do anything, I don’t have any letters after my name, I have no qualifications, I have nothning to sell and nothing to pitch, I just tell my story, live my life and try to be myself and that’s easy really, it’s not hard being me, it’s trying to be something I’m not (whether because of external pressures or my own insecurities) that causes me pain or sucks the life out of me.

I have learned I can walk with Jesus,

Practice his presence,

I can be myself,

I am free.

At peace.

Rested.

Easy.