Episode 411

TODAY’S READING:

Truly my soul finds rest in God;

My salvation comes from him.

Psalm 62:1

 

Can you believe it’s the last week of the year? Just like that, 2021 is quickly coming to an end.

 

Every year I like to take this week to rest and recharge. I want to meditate on all that I have accomplished and all of the blessings God has given me.

 

Every year I pick a word or a theme. My word for 2021 was growth, and I look back and am so happy I did just that. In Q1, I published my first book; in Q2 and Q3, I ran the bakery business of my dreams. In Q4 – I realized my dreams were nothing compared to God’s dreams for me, and so I returned to my 9-5 to build my future according to His will.

 

In all of this, I returned to in-person Church after a year and a half of virtual Sunday Sermons, and my relationship has grown tremendously because of it.

 

But in everything, I realized just how vital rest was. It’s a necessary ingredient to growth. Even in rest, we grow because it is in our rest that we learn more about our God.

 

Our souls need rest. They need to spend a flicker, a moment in the presence of God. It’s spiritual medicine. It’s our lifeline.

 

So let’s be intentional about resting this week. Let’s try and set 30 minutes a day to rest in the presence of God. Let’s go on longer walks, let’s listen to more worship music, let’s enjoy the conversation. Let’s reflect on all that was accomplished before making a list of all we want. 

 

PRAYER

Jesus, this past weekend we celebrated your birth. Lord, we celebrated the hope you provide, the salvation you give. Lord, this week we want to rest. We know come Monday we all start our new promises. We know that we have a list of things we want to accomplish, but Lord, let us not even think about that yet, not until we find the necessary time to rest in your presence. Like this verse says, truly our souls find rest in you, God. Our salvation comes from you. Let us bask in that presence every day this week. Let us remember how far we’ve come and how much you’ve blessed us. In the good and the bad. In the ups and the downs. We love you with everything in us, AMEN!