Rest, What does it look like?
I went to Mozambique in the fall of 2017. During my first few days there God started talking to me about rest. He shared with me that I did not know how much I had been pouring out and He wanted me to rest. So I started resting, at least doing what I thought rest looked like. I would lay down, thinking I was resting in His presence, but it was physically resting and not in the way I believe He wanted me to rest. After a little bit of time He told me that rest looks like many different things. As I continued to rest I began to learn what He was talking about.
Rest is more than a physical position such as sitting, laying down or sleeping. Rest is a spiritual position. It is not about how we place our body but Who we rest in.
I learned that everything I did needs to flow from a place of Rest. God gives us rest when we are weary. “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NIV) Yes, He gives us rest when we need it but it’s so much more.
Rest is a heart position. What or who do you trust in? As we fix our hearts upon Jesus, things change. John 15 shares that Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches and Father God is the vinedresser. We are to abide or remain in Him- that’s our position.
It is all about relationship, a growing, intimate relationship. As the words we say and the things we do flow out of our intimate relationship with Him, we are resting in Him.
Rest is a person. A few years ago Holy Spirit both brought me comfort and revealed Himself as the Person of Comfort. Not only does He give us rest when we are weary but He is also the Person of Rest. As we abide in Him, we abide in the Person of Rest. He not only gives us rest, He is Rest.
After spending about three months away from home when we traveled to Mozambique to attend Harvest School with Iris Ministries, I spent the next several months processing all that God did during that time. My relationship with Father God, Jesus and Holy Spirit has grown is so many ways. I am thankful for the wonderful advice from a fellow student, “Keep falling more in love with Jesus.” As I continue to fall more in love with Jesus my relationship with Him continues to grow along with my desire to abide and rest in Him.
I had a vision a few months ago in which I was sitting on Father God’s lap, receiving His love and loving on Him. In the vision I looked out and saw others with their backs to Him and swords in their hands, fighting whatever was coming against them. As I looked at them, I felt sorry for them. As I fixed my eyes upon Father God, I knew that I had victory in whatever was coming against me because of what He had already done.
My victory came from abiding in the arms of the Father and knowing what was already accomplished upon the Cross. All that I need to do is to rest and abide in Him.
Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus. Fall more in love with Jesus. He will never leave you or forsake you. He knows exactly what you need. He loves you so much, There are no conditions on His love and He does not hold any of it back. My prayer for you is that each day you receive revelation of how much Father God loves you. And may Holy Spirit give you rest and reveal Himself to you as the Person of Rest.