“And He (Jesus) said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.” ~MARK 6:31
Sometimes we confuse rest with being lazy which to think this way about rest is the antithesis of what we are called to do in Hebrews 4. We are actually told to fear not entering the Lord’s rest.
We often think that if we are in the midst of pursuing our dreams and passion that if we pause to rest it is akin to giving up which is born from taking the verses in Isaiah out of context that says we won’t get weary…I have been guilty of this faulty mindset as well.
But there is a wisdom in resting, especially when our roads of pursuit reach a point of intermission, quite like being in-between several floors while on an elevator. While in the midst of that transition, you wait and you rest and only walk once the door to your destination opens.
RESTING IN TRANSITION
When the Lord was with the disciples going from one place on the Galilee to the other side, He went into the bottom of the boat and rested (MARK 4:38-40).
When Elijah was on his way to meet God in the mountain, he not only took several long naps in preparation for his journey but he also ate his fill while he rested (I KINGS 19:1-9).
There is wisdom in gassing up in the midst of a run. Even those who run long distances know the wisdom of stopping to the side of the path to get a drink of water before continuing on.
THE WISDOM OF THE 5 VIRGINS
In the parable of the 10 Virgins (MATTHEW 25:1-13), we see all of the women, both the foolish and the wise, resting while waiting for the Lord or Bridegroom to come to His wedding feast.
The difference between the foolish virgins and the wise was that the wise had done all that they could do in preparation for waiting for the Bridegroom to come, and so being fully prepared for His arrival they rested, refueling for the celebration ahead (MATTHEW 25:6-9).
Even in EPHESIANS 6:10-18, we are told to just stand after we have done all that we can, having been made fully ready for what is ahead (see verse 13).
RESTING RELEASES OUR TRUST
Finally, Creatives, resting symbolizes our full trust in the Lord. It is truly the picture of us allowing the Wise and Good Shepherd to lead us forward when we need to go forward and to be still when we ought to as well (PSALM 23).
It is when we trust Him that we will rest in the midst of our storms.
So be encouraged as you go forward to take comfort in your moments of rest. It is good to be still every now and again and there is no shame or guilt to be had in it. Let Him lead you into wise resting
For more encouragement on resting, see THE REWARDS OF RESTING & WAITING.
~Poiema, Poetry in Motion
Candice Coates is an author, blogger, and contributor to Ambo TV. This article originally appeared on her website www.icameforthesoup.com.