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I never thought that rest was a complex concept. I mean, hello – it’s a short word. Short words shouldn’t be complicated.
I thought it was simple – just stop doing.
And, in some ways, it is that simple. Just stop doing. Cease your activity. But often, the simple is way more challenging and difficult than we realize. At least, it is for me.
The simple isn’t so simple
How do you just stop doing? How do you just stop worrying, just stop trying to fix unfixable problems? How do you stop the busyness and the voice inside that says you need to do more in order to have value or worth?
How do you just stop doing? How is it that you rest?
You have to let go. You have to surrender.
—-
The news wasn’t good.
An army was coming. A large, vast army whose sole mission was destruction.
They look around, then look at each other. They’d done what God had asked, but now here they are. Out of options and completely surrounded. Adrenaline starts to surge. Panic begins to rise.
Then, they look to their king.
Their king, King Jehoshaphat, is experiencing their same feelings. The adrenaline. The panic. The feeling of hopelessness that comes when you’re out of options. And in that moment, King Jehoshaphat asks all of his people to fast. They gather together in front of the temple before the LORD, and King Jehoshaphat pours out his heart to God.
The plea
He stands before them all and reminds God of who He is, recounting all that God has done for them. He reminds God of His promises. That this land would be theirs. That their God would not leave them. That they were His chosen people. And, that He had promised to save them.
Lastly, He tells God of the vast army approaching and that they’re out of options. They don’t know what to do. And then he says,
Our eyes are on You. (2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV)
Huddled together, the people stand, watch, and wait.
The answer
God’s answer comes through a man named Jahaziel. His answer is that they should not be worried or afraid. God Himself would defeat their enemies. His instructions were not for them to fight, but to simply show up to the battle, to stand firm, and that He would deliver them. He would be there with them.
King Jehoshaphat and his people respond with worship and praise. They praise God for the promise of His deliverance.
And so, the next day, they go out to face the vast army, completely outnumbered, trusting that God would deliver them and not having a clue how He was going to do it. King Jehoshaphat admonishes them to have faith that God would do what He said He would do.
Praise before of deliverance
Then, before King Jehoshaphat knew how God was going to defeat the opposing forces, he appoints men to go ahead of the army to sing and to declare praises to the Lord. Before they knew how their story would end, they praise God’s holiness.
Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever. (2 Chronicles 20:21 NIV)
As they begin to sing, God delivers them. He defeats the vast enemy, giving victory before they even get to the battlefield. And this victory gives them rest from their enemies. It gives them peace.
—-
“Our eyes are on You.”
This.
This is what it means for your heart to rest in God. To trust in His faithfulness. To believe in His promises. To surrender to His divine plan, even when you can’t figure out how it will all play out.
And not only watching. Praising Him in the waiting.
In the waiting
Rest happens in the waiting, in that time when we surrender to His plan for us before we know what that plan is. It is complete dependence on God, both in the times of peace and prosperity and in those times of anxiety and uncertainty.
And He doesn’t ask you to do all of the battling, all of the fighting, all of the fixing. He asks for you to show up and rest in Him.
Hands raised both in surrender and praise.
Find rest
So, if today is one where you find yourself overwhelmed and out of options or you’re in a season where you can’t see how God will come through, where it’s easy to feel that adrenaline rise and panic set in, let this encourage you to find rest. To rest in the fact that God is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do.
Because, He is good at being God.
Our eyes are on you
And before we know how He will deliver us, how He will save us, or how our stories will end, we can rest. We can offer praise to God “for the splendor of his holiness.” (2 Chronicles 20:21 NIV) For no matter what that outcome may be (because it probably won’t happen like we would envision it), He is still good. He is still loving. He is still faithful.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:21 NIV)
So God, our eyes are on You.
© 2019 Sara R Conley. All rights reserved.
Sandy Gillman says
Sara.. this is Sandy and I just want you to know that I’m truly blessed and inspired by the words you shared today. Amazing my friend!!! God has truly granted you the gift of writing from your heart and encouraging others with the promise of His hope and peace!! Thank you sweet woman of God!! I know you are a busy busy wife and mommy so it means even more!! Keep writing!! Blessings..
Kketteman says
Ah! Such a wonderful reminder! God is good. He is who he says he is. I need to train my mind to see all circumstances through that lens. What a shift in perspective that would make…having a far-reaching impact on my ability to rest, trust and enjoy!