What Gives You Rest?
It’s been a very busy start to the school year, and I’m grateful that I got to take a retreat recently. This retreat was short, but it was very restful for me. When you feel busy and overwhelmed with life, do you know how to get away and experience meaningful rest? I do now, but I didn’t always know how to rest.
I remember returning from my first sabbatical in 2015 and being asked the same question over and over again. Everyone wanted to know, “how was your sabbatical?” I always struggled to know how to answer this question. For most people, I usually just said, “it went well and I’m grateful to have been able to take a sabbatical.” However, every time I was asked this question, I was reminded that my sabbatical had not accomplished what I hoped it would do…at least not to the degree I hoped it would. As a result, I was carrying with me a certain amount of disappointment as I returned to pastoral ministry.
As I spent time praying about this, the thing I became aware of was a simple fact: my sabbatical didn’t save me. Just taking a sabbatical and getting 8 weeks off from work didn’t fix the problems I was facing in our church and it didn’t resolve the deep soul work I was wrestling with. Most of all, I didn’t experience deep rest.
I also found this to be true every time I took a Sabbath day off each week. Frequently, these days weren’t as restful as I hoped. Just the act of not working on Fridays didn’t mean I felt rested. It was nice to have a day off, but I didn’t always fill it with activities that restored my soul…even though I had ceased from work, I could still feel tired.
As I reflect back now, I can see with clarity where I did receive rest. Rest came from God. In particular, I received the rest that would restore my soul when I would hear God’s voice. Making space in my life to listen to God’s voice ended up being the most restful thing I could do on my Sabbaths. There is something about hearing God’s voice that ushers us into divine rest.
That’s the primary point from Hebrews 4. The author says that we enter God’s rest when we listen.
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it…if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts… For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
The point is simple and clear. True Sabbath happens when we enter God’s divine rest. This comes from listening to God’s voice. We enter God’s rest when we yield to the word we hear from the Lord. Everything can change if we hear God speak. Our entire outlook on life and the energy we feel can turn around if we experience God’s presence in the midst of our lived experience. This happens in a variety of forms. Here are some ways I’ve experienced it:
In a difficult season, a word from God can change everything. When God gives us a specific word, we feel seen. To know the Lord sees our pain can be deeply restorative.
In a season where I was faced apathy from a key leader, God spoke hope into my heart and that gave me strength. It wasn’t like God said, everything was going to be okay. Rather, it was more like a promise that God was using my labor to accomplish his purposes, even if I couldn’t see it. This word of hope felt like a rejuvenating rest.
In the midst of conflict, a word of rebuke was oddly enough restful. It was a piercing word of truth, but it allowed me to lay down my defensiveness and apologize for what I was doing wrong. This sharp word showed me the way to peace.
If you want to find rest, the solution is not just to take time off. The solution is to listen for God’s voice. If you want to experience rest, do whatever you need to do to hear God’s voice active in your life. This often requires setting some time aside away from work and family responsibilities in order to create the space to listen. But just not working won’t result in rest. True sabbath rest happens when we cease from our work in order to be with God and listen to his voice.
I’m at a place in my life now, where I experience deeply restorative rest. Each day, I prioritize spending time listening. When I can get away on retreat, my whole purpose is oriented around listening. I am so grateful that God gives me meaningful rest as I hear his voice.
Would you consider prioritizing listening for God’s voice whenever you seek rest?