Entering Into Rest

 If you’ve ever had to deal with a restless child, you already know once the little one learns to walk, naptime becomes more difficult to enforce every day. That little person would rather look for excitement or a thrill around every corner, than take 10 or 15 minutes to rest. The restlessness of childhood is really part of the overall learning experience. Testing and trying new things is a way of gaining knowledge of the world around us. As adult Christians, we can walk through periods of restlessness that teach us more about ourselves than anything else. I’m not referring to the episodes of physical restlessness that come from too much adrenaline or too little sleep. No, restlessness of spirit, is what I’d like to focus on.
When we have been serving the Lord for some time, caught up in the activities of life, including church and ministry, we can sometimes become weary of the “routine”. That weariness, if not brought to the Lord, can turn into restlessness; and, that restlessness can have us looking over the fence of our less-than-exciting lives to what seems like greener grass in other meadows. That can translate into disaster if it leads to distraction or sin. If we were to choose to follow that internal pulling, and possibly give over our energies to sin, the enemy would have succeeded in derailing our God-ordained life’s purpose:
“For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Galatians 6:8)
The Apostle Paul was encouraging some church folks about their godly habit of bearing one another’s burdens and giving financially to the work of the ministry. What he had to say relates well to all we do for God:
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9, NKJV)
Growing weary may not only come from physical and mental fatigue, but from emotional fatigue. When doing godly things becomes a chore, we may have grown restless in spirit, we may need to repent of sin, or we may need to come back to Him for some Holy Ghost recharging. When we turn from this world’s distractions and come before the Lord, asking for a clean slate, the result is always rest, refreshing and joy:

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
“When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” (Psalm 126: 1-3)

    I encourage you to do a little spiritual inventory. If there is a bit of restlessness creeping into your spirit, and you find yourself backing away from heartily doing His work, just run to Him and throw yourself back into His arms. You may have some repenting to do—but you’ll be so glad you found Him, the Only Source of the rest you desperately seek.