Escape or Rest During the Holidays

Escape or Rest During the Holidays?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

“When your soul is resting, your emotions are okay, your mind is okay, and your will is at peace with God, not resisting what He’s doing.” Joyce Meyer

Escaping can be so unhealthy and tiring! The after-work cocktails, the gym, too much television, holiday parties and more. It seems fun and probably is but the soul seeks rest. How many of us escaped with drinking, drugs, food, gambling, relationships and working with the result of more anxiety and depletion? Spending time with a good book, walking in nature or playing with your toddler is a healthy escape and a rest for your soul. It seems like something to put off, but is it?

He makes us lie down. Sometimes circumstances force us to rest because the Father wants our attention. When I broke my ankle, reading His word and others’ books about their experiences with the Father was an encouragement, though I fought my circumstances for a while. Just a dab of self-pity.

He leads me beside still waters. Every fishing enthusiast loves the water and the peace of being in nature. There were many times I didn’t catch a thing except some peace and restoration.

 He restores my soul. When I wake up at four in the morning and I can’t get back to sleep, it’s the Father’s wake-up call to spend some time with Him. It’s the only time where everything is quiet and I can hear his voice.  Sometimes a problem will suddenly have a simple answer, sometimes it’s a prayer request for someone, sometimes it’s an encouragement to continue in a worthy cause and sometimes it’s just a bit of joy to be in His presence.

Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. No matter what has happened in my life, when I’m in the midst of it, I’m frustrated, scared or sad. When I had the benefit of hindsight, Goodness and Mercy were there with me all along.

Musings

When trying to escape anything, we are resisting something. What are we resisting? Resisting change? Resisting rest? Resisting imperfection? Resisting an upcoming conversation? Resistance requires so much energy! If we rest, and genuinely ask the Father for guidance, we’ll know what to do, what to say, or what to put away.

Prayer

Dear Father,

The holiday time can be such a pressure and burden that we forget the peace and rest of the Savior sleeping in a manger. The most beautiful songs honor the baby Jesus: Silent Night, the First Noel, and Little Town of Bethlehem. The shepherds were resting with their flocks before being a part of the Greatest Miracle. Help us to do the same.

Amen.