Do you know what it means to rest? To stop working, to let God have the reigns.

We are a society that works and works. Even on our days off, we work. The enemy of our soul is stealing from us. John 10:10 says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Being busy is seen as a positive thing even when it wears us out. So how do we take control of our lives and live the abundant life that God promises us?

We need to stop working. We need to learn to rest. The definition of rest is cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. God has given us the Sabbath, a day of rest. As a matter of fact, God commands us to rest. Many see this as foolishness and I have heard some say how can I rest when I have so much to do. When the Israelites finally rested in the Lord, and stopped striving, they found they were given what they needed and more. I have found when I rest in the Lord, He takes care of what needs to be done.

This past year I have had to learn this principle. He has told me this is a year of rest for the ministry. I struggled to understand this because like the Israelites I was in bondage even though I was free. I did not know what it meant not to work. As a matter of fact, my worth was always tied to working. Our worth is in Christ. Our relationship with Him is what he values more than works.

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” Hebrews 4:9-10