Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. Psalm 116: 7
As I’m writing this I’m sighing, “Ah, finally it’s quiet. Finally I have a few minutes of peace to write.†But you know what? Today has not been a very restful day for me: meetings at work, hyper kids at home, and packing for vacation just around the corner. My soul is not feeling so rested, because along with all of these external things, I find my heart worrying about getting everything done and struggling with impatience at the kids’ boundless energy. Probably most of your lives are a little different from mine, but I’m guessing that your souls have felt weary once in awhile, too.
So what are the things that find your soul longing for rest? Maybe you’re feeling physically stressed from chasing after kids or from health issues that are unique to your body and circumstances. Maybe you’re feeling mentally and emotionally drained as you think about huge changes that are soon to come your way. Maybe you’re spiritually tired over a fight with a sin that just keeps making its way back into your heart. Whatever the cause of the weariness, we’ve all felt it, at different times and for different reasons.
How awesome, then, to reflect on the words above: “Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.†Oh, those words bring comfort to a tired heart, to a worn-out mind and soul! I love, too, how the psalm-writer doesn’t just leave it at that, either! He reminds us of the very best way God has been good to us: “For you, O LORD have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.†Didn’t Jesus do exactly that for us? For all those times that our bodies have felt run down, Jesus gave his life so that someday we’ll have a perfect body that never aches or gets worn out from life’s demands. For all those days when tears fall from our eyes because our souls are just tired of whatever circumstances currently surround us, Jesus died so that someday we will walk in the place of no tears-NO TEARS!-forever! For all those days when our conscience accuses us or when our sin-sick soul still tempts us to worry, to doubt, or to fear, Jesus died to give us the assurance that our sins are all forgiven and that our often-stumbling feet are kept on the path to heaven - because when God looks at us walking, he only sees the beautiful feet of his Son.
Dear sisters in Christ, are you tired? Be at rest once more, in the reassuring arms of the One who’s been good to you. Your Savior, who gave himself for you, is there through every bit of your tired, no matter its cause, comforting you with precious words that tell you all is taken care of, all is forgiven, and one day, because of his love for you, all will be perfect and weariness won’t reign anymore. Be at rest in Jesus’ love, for you!
Ask the Lord
Dear Jesus, so often in this life, my soul just feels weary. Whatever its cause, I sometimes struggle to find the rest that you offer and instead wallow in self-pity, worry, or dejection. Forgive me for those times when I’ve forgotten that perfect rest is always found in you. Your death on the cross and rising on the third day guarantee that eternal rest is mine! In that knowledge, I can find rest for whatever wearies my soul in this life, too. Thank you for being so good to me! Amen.
