Dear Friends,
I don't know where you find yourself in this season, but God knows exactly where you are and what you need. I felt led by the Holy Spirit to write about rest for us all this morning. I know it is what I need and I know the supplier. I hope these words nestle in your heart and soul as well.
Rest. A small word that means so much for us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. My husband and I were chatting about how we both are constantly "doing" for others because we have servant hearts and then we realize we are completely wiped out and not taking care of ourselves. Jesus never called us to this. Jesus rested. He pulled away and rested and spent time with the supplier, the Heavenly Father. He prayed. He rested.
If your like me, I get it. For the servant leader, every day offers opportunities to serve others. It blesses us to serve, yet our soul grows weary when we don't retreat away and serve ourselves but snuggling up in His presence! For many of us this year has brought many emotions, struggles, losses, changes, battles that the average being cannot handle alone. It has left us weary, hurting, discouraged.
Jesus calls us, invites us, to follow His example of daily rest, Sabbath rest, times of celebration, times of retreat, times of healing. Jesus understood the value of rest. Do we? Rest restores the soul as the focus shifts from doing to being. We need to receive fresh energy and healing. When you feel like everything is out of wack, it's because it is! You need rest. You need a reset!
So friends, how can you cultivate rest in your life? What plans are you putting in place right now to enter into His rest and change the course for 2024?
Take this in: Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”—Mark 2:27-28
Sweet Friends, it is a gift. Rest in Him is a gift! I am so thankful to be reminded of how Jesus, our great teacher modeled this for us. Join with me in committing to a life of not just service, but rest.
I realized as I approached the end of this year, that I had not done a good job of resting lately. I realized I had not taken the appropriate time off this year that God provided for me. I realized I had not honored the days on the calendar that were marked off for me and my husband, my family, and for my time alone with the Lord himself to soak in His vision and hear His directives for me as His servant. I realized this was not God's plan for me. I realized I had gotten off course and I remembered how when I obey Him, the supernatural occurs and my impact is much greater!
I hope my sharing is a reminder for you this season. I hope you will decide to take some much needed time off in whatever way you can as I have to recalibrate. The time spent with the Supplier has greater value than the service to the Supplier.
Happy Resting! love you bunches and remember...
Live Life Abundantly,
Jeannie
Father, Forgive us for not resting. Please restore our souls as we rest in your presence. May we take action today. May we hear your voice and obey. In Jesus name, amen.
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