**Sip Saturday is written by our Saturday morning contributor, M.H. Elrich. A beautifully gifted Christian author who seeks to honor the Trinity in her writing. She hopes that her words will encourage women to draw closer to God, whether that is through her fantasy series or her weekly devotionals.
Cornerstone Scripture:
“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”
-Hebrews 4:1 KJV
I had never felt more exhausted. Working full-time, going to school, maintaining the household while my husband worked two jobs, rest seemed like a distant horizon. Add in troublesome students, and I had a pot full of teacher-tired.
On top of that, my horse contracted a mysterious illness that made me wonder if she would die. We had to shell out thousands of dollars just to make sure she was okay. At the same time, my friend had a heart attack, and I was so swamped and drowning in tasks that I ignored her needs. I did try to coordinate with others to see her, but it was too little, too late. My husband was then in a car crash that wrecked his vehicle and initiated a lawsuit.
When I look back at that time, my heart aches. It was a time of rushing and stress, anxiety, and strained nerves. After it was all over, when we were finally out of debt and school, when my husband was only working one job instead of two, it was a weird resettling.
My body reacted with acid reflux and panic attacks. If I had read this verse about rest, I would’ve laughed. Rest? Rest! I can rest when I’m dead, I would’ve said. But my physical body eventually warned me of the consequences of not resting. Sickness, doctor appointments—it forced me to really reflect on what it means to rest.
In this case, rest refers both to the present and the future. Presently, we can have God’s rest through his peace, and we can find God’s rest in quiet, meaningful times of relaxation. The command to keep the Sabbath day holy is not optional, even for New Testament believers. Instead, it is a reminder to intentionally rest and worship God at least once a week.
As for inner peace, the path to finding his peace rests in two words: Trust God. These two words seem so simple, but in a world full of unknowns and daily stressors, trusting God can be hard. Once you do trust God, peace comes from Him because your heart, mind, and soul are at rest with whatever He has planned, even if it isn’t aligned with your will. Thus, rest in the present is possible, both by physically resting from chores, labor, or other activities once a week or through trusting in God’s plan.
Rest in the future is through the amazing gift of heaven, and eventually, a new earth and new heavens. To me, this means finally being able to stop doing.
Although some of the doing above was my fault (too many commitments), some of it couldn’t be helped. My horse sick, my husband in a car crash, my friend having a heart attack—all of these events were a result of a fallen world.
Think of a perfect place where such terrible events don’t happen all at once. Think of a world where we no longer have to strain and fight for everything we hold dear. Think of no longer having to battle against the realms of darkness.
Our service to God through our jobs, our families, our church, and our communities can be filled with joy. Yet, it can also be exhausting and full of trials.
One day, we will enter heaven and hear the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” On that day, we will finally be able to rest.
Let’s pray.
Dear Lord, help us to never give up doing good works for you. Give us wisdom into knowing when to stop and when to rest. Fill us with your rest, both for now and the future. In Your Son’s name, Amen.
P.S. I am the author of these books, and they are available in all formats: paperback, ebook, and audiobook! Thank you for your weekly support of Sip Saturday.