In the Word: Finding True Rest
Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. It is our desire that this series will aid you in getting in the Bible for yourself and discovering the joy that comes from hearing from God through the pages of His Word.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
-Matthew 11:29
READ:
In grief, nothing seems to be what it used to be; even something as simple as sitting feels different.
One day, I walked down the staircase in my home to sit in the corner of the basement where I could be physically lowest and most removed from the world that had seemed to go on without me. As I sat, my body had the odd sensation of continually traveling lower.
Sitting was more like sinking. I felt that I was being lowered, though I was not moving. As this was happening, I could also feel my heart pounding even though I was attempting to rest. Every strong pulse sent me a perceived level lower into the ground, the subbasement, the earth.
The hole in the earth that had been dug to hold my baby daughter’s dear earthly frame had been deep—farther into the ground than I had expected prior to her burial. Not many days after she was put into the earth, while sitting in my basement, my body felt like joining her.
Becoming a mother made me yearn to be able to go through her experiences with her in order to “be there” for her. But in this case, I could not. My body reminded me of the desire at every possible opportunity. So, sitting was not normal. My inner grief was physically felt.
When I feel I am sinking, I get to choose the figurative chair upon which I sit. And if I choose my chair wisely in grief, I can choose a chair of true rest. I can collapse into a chair that absorbs the downward pulses. I can choose a chair that steadies me, one that will never let me finally sink. There is only one foundation that will not plummet—One unsinkable rest for my soul.
Perhaps you feel like you are also sinking. Rest on the solid foundation of the Lord! He is our Father who actively cares for us and supports our souls in suffering.
REFLECT:
- What does Jeremiah 31:25 teach us about finding rest in the Lord?
- In what ways can you choose to rest on the solid foundation of the Lord in the mist of your suffering?
JOURNAL:
Write out Isaiah 40:28-31 and then write a prayer to the Lord, thanking Him for being a place of rest for you.
We would be honored to share your story as a Hope Mom on our blog. On Saturdays we feature Hope Moms’ stories in order to showcase God’s faithfulness even in the midst of such deep sorrow. If you would like to have your story shared on our blog for this purpose, learn more and submit here.
