Sunday, July 18, 2004
Rest for the Wearied Soul
Automata 6.0
On one of our recent Monday Night meetings, we talked about it being okay to feel negative emotion. Yes we have joy in God, but that joy is our rest in Him, it doesn't mean that we're not allowed to feel sad or depressed. In fact, introspection is encouraged; and with introspection, often comes emotional hardships. It's all part of growing. I keep going back to the way my friend, Tony, said it to me, when speaking of a love relationship with God, "...it's not always fun, but it's definitely fulfilling." Taking things out of a victim standpoint, and placing it into being an opportunity to learn and grow, allows us to have our emotions instead of suppress them, and empowers us to overcome them. Far too often, we are taught that we should suck it up and be strong, never to take our hardships to God, never to allow Him to give us rest.
Personally, I have realized that just being real, and finding rest in God's strength, is how it was intended to be. This is the God that our Messiah was speaking of when he said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). This is the God of Isaiah 54, the covenant of Shalom - perfect peace, wholeness, prosperity, welfare, tranquility, safety, health, contentment, success, comfort, and integrity; nothing broken, nothing lacking. This is our God, who is the shepherd of Psalm 23.
It's not about what we do, or how we perform. God performed for us, we are called to rest in Him, and let Him take care of it for us. Sadly, we've been taught so much in life that we have to work for what we have, be worthy of or "measure up", that any completely free gift can be very hard, if not impossible to receive. Many people just give up because they feel like they can't measure up; or they try harder and harder, only to find that they're still not measuring up, and eventually give up, still feeling they are not worthy of such a gift. Our Messiah, the perfect and final sacrifice, "measured up" for us in his suffering and on the cross. I've often found that when I try to do everything "right", I eventually come to a point where I'm saying, "God, I can't do it. I can't measure up; I can't change; I can't fix it. You have to do it... there's no other way." That's when I can just rest. That's when I crawl up into the arms of my Beautiful Divine, and He takes care of me. Our delight, our "works", are not those of a slave who must strive to do right in the eyes of his master; it is that of a lover, who longs to find refuge in the arms of her passionate husband (Isaiah 54:5, Hosea 2:16-23). Our hope is as the bride who is presented to the Husband of Revelation 21:1-7.
I encourage you, I implore you, to look up the scriptures I've mentioned. For too long, and far too often, we have been taught distorted images of God. We have been shown a God who is an angry abusive father, which we must strive to please and earn our acceptance with, rather than the God who gives us rest, grace, mercy, and passionate affection. Take the time to ponder the words of these scriptures. What do they say about God's character? What do they speak to you about God's feelings toward you? Do you know what scripture says of the free gift of grace, and His "measuring up" for you in His suffering, so that you don't have to? Ask God to begin to reveal His true nature and gift to you. Don't be afraid to tell Him who you need Him to be. Ponder what He has done for you; the cross, His grace, the beauty of creation. Take time to write him a letter about it. Ask Him to write one to you. Listen. What is He saying?
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If the above are things you have dealt with, or are dealing with, or if you have fallen victim to performance-based, shame-driven relationships, especially within your journey to find God and purpose, then I highly recommend these books - Tired of Trying to Measure Up, by Jeff VanVonderen; and Healing Grace, by David Seamands. Please, look them up. They are indispensable for any who have felt the oppression of performance expectations placed upon them in their walk with God.
