How to Find the Faith to Rest

I’m almost to the finish line of some big projects I’ve been working on and I’m trying to take little breaks in this marathon to catch my breath and rest. And, that’s not so easy!

I know you know exactly what I mean.

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But, if we don’t chill out, we’ll burn out.

Sometimes, rest feels like just another thing on our to-do list! But, if we don’t carve out time for it we will burnout from lack of it!

Burn out begins long before you smell the smoke!

In the past, by the time my spiritual smoke alarms went off, I was engulfed in the flames of exhaustion. I’m finally figuring out that rest is a choice — a choice that often requires faith.

Rest is a choice that often requires faith.
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The writer of Hebrews said, “So we see that they (the Children of Israel) could not enter it (His rest) because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19)

God’s people didn’t fully trust their God and it kept them from entering into their rest. And, when we, as God’s girls, don’t fully trust Him, we don’t rest either.

I’m learning that when I can’t, or won’t, rest it’s because I don’t rely fully on God. Instead, I am fully relying on me.

Rest means to trust fully in Him rather than myself.

Rest means to trust fully in Him rather than myself. [Click to Tweet]
An unwillingness to rest is an act of unbelief. Does unbelief keep you from the rest God intended for you?

In the past, my burnout was rooted in the faulty belief that I had to help God accomplish His will. If I didn’t strive, then God wouldn’t succeed. It can make a girl tired!

Burnout finds its roots in the belief that I have to help God accomplish His will.
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Helping God be God is a lofty responsibility that God doesn’t need our help with! God wants us to rest in Him not burn out because we are trying to be Him.

So, do you have enough faith to rest? Can you take a breath, cease striving and be still?

We must discipline ourselves to rest — emotionally, mentally, and physically.
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We must discipline ourselves to rest — emotionally, mentally, and physically. To really rest means we submit our calender to God’s control and  surrender our details to His direction.

When you exercise the faith to rest in God, you will experience the freedom to receive from God.

When you exercise the faith to rest in God, you will experience the freedom to receive from God.
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When you rest in Him, you will receive His strength rather than relying on your own.

Jesus says, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29 NASB).

You can trust Him, my friend. He’s got this!

If you trust Him enough to rest, you may feel like something will be left undone. And, maybe so. But, if you don’t trust Him enough to rest, it will lead to your undoing.

God made time in His busy creation project to rest! So, for us to do the same is to follow His example.

When you rest in Him, you will receive His strength rather than relying on your own.
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He wants us to take time to rest just like He wanted the ancient Israelites to. God even instructed His people to give their land a rest every seven years. My friend, if the dirt needs a rest so it can continue to be fruitful, so do you!

Disciplining yourself to rest is an act of good stewardship.

Question: How do you rest in Him?

Go deeper into this week's question in my Bible Study Bistro Facebook group. There's a community of 4:13ers waiting for you!

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