How Can I Rest in the Middle of a Mess?
How do I find rest when there is something terrible and stressful going on in life?
Can I really have peace and rest in the middle of a mess?
The short answer is “Yes.” The longer answer is found in the Word of God.
Father, I am in the middle of a difficult situation. It is hard to understand and hard to keep from becoming unrighteously angry or feeling defeated. I need Your Holy Word and Your Holy Hand to guide me. I need rest! I have no idea how this situation will be resolved or how long it will take. Today, I surrender all my feelings, thoughts, ideas, solutions, and frustrations. I place my hope in You. I need You to take care of this mess and take care of me.
“Most of us have spent our lives trying to take care of ourselves, but we must learn to trust our lives to [God’s] care. When we try to do things in our own strength and leave God out, we just get worn-out and frustrated. But when we fully lean on God, it brings us His peace. When we stop trying to figure everything out, God can be God in our life.” –Joyce Meyer
In the midst of trouble, I look to the Word of God as I breathe deeply and steadily, relax my shoulders, and enter into a restful place of holy surrender. And I meditate on His truth.
God is not surprised by anything that is happening.
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.” –Proverbs 15:3
God is able. Always able.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” –Ephesians 3:20
God can remedy any mess at any time.
”For nothing will be impossible with God.” –Luke 1:37
God does not misunderstand or mismanage anything.
“Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him. And to him we must explain the way we have lived.” –Hebrews 4:13
God already has the solution.
“The Lord hears his righteous people when they call for help. He saves them from all their troubles.” –Psalm 34:17
I transfer my trust to God instead of worrying, stressing, or surrendering to sickness.
“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.” –Psalm 9:10
“Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come.” –Philippians 4:6
“In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” –Psalm 118:5-6
“Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise.” –Jeremiah 17:14
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” –Jeremiah 32:27
Here’s a truth: The rest Jesus offers has a prerequisite. “Come to me.”
We must go to Jesus and when we find ourselves steeped in human effort to fix the humanly unfixable problems around us. Return to Jesus. Again. And again. And again. Practice (not perfection) will make progress.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” –Matthew 11:28-29
Today’s to do list:
Go to Jesus.
Learn from Jesus.
Share His easy & light way of life.
Give Him your weary & burdened soul.
Rest.
I’m not saying this is an easy thing to do (although the more we practice the easier it gets), but it is The Way to rest.
It is the way to finding peace in the middle of a mess. Rest in the mess. Sometimes for me this looks like redirecting my thoughts that are continually trying to figure & fix the problems around me. Especially when other people are involved.
And the redirection is as simple as meditating on the verses above and repeating my to do list.
Practice makes better.
Jesus is perfect.
God is able.
We get to rest. Holy help and holy rest.
Inhale deeply through your nose.
Exhale.
God’s got this.
