I did not write a blog post last week. I felt too tired and stressed. I needed rest. God is patiently teaching me to take care of my body in a way that honors him. Physical rest goes hand-in-hand with spiritual rest. In the last few days, when I lacked sufficient sleep, my anger level rose. My tongue could easily have become a sword of destruction.
Amazingly, during this time, the Holy Spirit gave me songs and poems to build up my faith and to share with others. I also have a patient and loving husband who listens as I struggle to get to the place of faith and rest.
Does that mean that it’s okay for me to neglect physical rest? No, indeed. That would be presumptuous–doing something I, because of the limits of my body, have no right to do. At times, it’s okay for me to go without sleep in order to perform a task God’s called me to do. He provides grace for that.
Most of the time, God’s plan for my day includes physical rest. When I provide for physical rest, I cooperate with the Holy Spirit, as he works to produce spiritual growth in my life. When I neglect physical rest, I resist the work of the Holy Spirit. Not a good idea!
Making every effort to “supplement your faith with virtue,[e]and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7 ESV), includes making the effort to secure my physical rest.
Neglecting to do so could mean that I will needlessly go through another dark valley.
How many dark valleys of the soul
Must I go through before I find peace?
How much longer must I experience
Bouts of guilt, fear, shame, and unbelief?
Lord, I want the rest which you promised
To give to your weary sheep
I feel ashamed of my struggles
Fluctuations of faith bring me grief
Fluctuations are unknown to you
Always and forever, you are the same
I will cooperate with your Spirit
My hope is the integrity of your name.
I will continue pursuing you
Adding to my faith, goodness;
Adding to goodness, knowledge;
Adding to knowledge, self-control;
Adding to self-control, perseverance;
Adding to perseverance, godliness;
Adding to godliness, mutual affection;
Adding to mutual affection, love
Lord, whatever the future holds
Whatever pain, fear, or affliction
I know you will never desert me
I will rest in the truth of your affection
1/30/2018 Jane Ault
Jane, I am new to your blog, by way of a friend. Thank you for taking the time and considerable effort to write about what you are learning and experiencing of yourself-in-Christ. That is my passion and interest. I love that we each are designed specifically to show others the image of God in ways no one else can. That takes away all comparisons. Thank you for the encouragement you give here to rest, both physically and spiritually.
Jean, thank you so much for your encouraging words. Yes, our amazing God has designed each of us so that in a unique way we can demonstrate his magnificence. I’m eager to hear more of your story.
Jane, your poem takes my breathe away and brings me to tears. It so speaks to my heart today. Thank you for using the gifts God has given you in writing, honesty and love. Blessings and rest to you.
Dear Jill, your comment encouraged me greatly. Thank you. And God is giving me the rest that I need, today! May he also bless you with rest in every way and in every situation, according to his marvelous grace in Jesus.