Slow Your Roll

To read Part 1, click here

The last time we met here we all suffered from a hard reality check that we are not in control and that rest and Sabbath are more about Him than us. If ya’ll still like me enough after that to continue, I want to share with you one last thing that God has been teaching me about rest. And sidenote, if you still think that you ain’t got time for this funny idea called “rest”, let me tell you something. I feel ya, girl.

Most of the time, the Holy Spirit still wrestles with me to stop and push the breaks for even just a few minutes… Okay, let’s be real. I’m the one wrestling with the Holy Spirit, but I digress.

Sister, this is something God is wanting us to take more seriously than we do. And keep in mind, this is not so that we can be lazy, but so that we can be more effective. And with that, let me tell you the hard truth He hit me with not long ago...

I WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE I

Life here in Western culture often feels like it’s going faster and faster. We have multiple plates we’re juggling, multiple ways of receiving information, and multiple ways to be contacted. In the world we live in and because of all of the responsibilities most of us are attempting to balance, it’s extremely hard to shut it all off and simply get away, even if for just thirty minutes. Lunch breaks are another time to catch up on what we missed while we were at our jobs, and evenings are times when we catch up on laundry, dishes, home repairs, emails, or side hustles.

I was driving down the road the other day, having a little wrestling match with God (we have those occasionally, because I’m stubborn). I had been feeling depleted and exhausted but had so much work to do. I knew He was asking me to steal away some time with Him and simply rest and be. But I felt like there was no possible way for me to do that. I flat out told Him, “I cannot afford to do that.” And the Holy Spirit immediately whispered back to me “You cannot afford not to.” #micdrop And sidenote, I’m pretty sure the Holy Spirit would have totally done a literal mic drop had He been holding one.

Wow. The wrestling immediately seized. I gave up trying to wiggle and fight and struggle. I surrendered. He was right.

I may feel like I can’t afford to take time to rest, but the truth is that I can’t afford not to.

And can I remind us for a minute, that Jesus Himself would go away to lonely places to rest and pray? Why we think we can do it differently than Jesus did, I don’t know. But we do, don’t we? Or is that just me?

Not only were our bodies not designed for going full-force, full-speed ahead, 24/7, but we also will never be able to do what it is God is asking us to do if we don’t stop, breathe, and rest in Him.

We have to prioritize spending time with Him and resting in Him.

If we do not, then sure, you might be able to do a few things He has purposed you to do, but you’ll be exhausted, burned out, and miserable. Oh, and it may take you FOREVER to get there, because, friend, it’s hard to climb a mountain on your own.

We were never created to fulfill our purpose on our own or within our own strength. If we were, God wouldn’t receive the glory for it… we would. HE wants to fulfill HIS purpose and plan through us. We just have to unplug from our tasks and the world around us, even for just a moment (including all of you who feel like you have “zero” free time… though I beg to differ), and plug into Jesus — the One Who can and will recharge us, strengthen us, empower us, and fulfill His purpose through us.

We can’t do it on our own, nor should we.

So how about this week, we accept the challenge (because it is a challenge) to take moments of Sabbath throughout the days ahead. To flip our focus back to the One on Whom everything really does depend and allow Him to replenish us, so we have something actually worthwhile to give.

I am asking us all, myself included, to hit the breaks and slow down some before we run right past our purpose and run straight into the ground.

We can do this. And, friend, we have to.

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