By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew
I’m so looking forward to my weekends. During the State Fair of Texas, my colleagues and I work seven days a week for almost a month. I don’t think you realize how precious something is until you have less of it, or it’s gone. Long work hours can leave you tired, irritable, and yearning for sleep. Although it’s temporary and something I was prepared for, it doesn’t remove what you experience physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I think that’s the case for our lives. I think we realize that life will be hard and filled with challenges. We know that with our heads but when it happens, our hearts, emotions and even our bodies don’t often align. We know the pain we endure is temporary but at the moment, the pain supersedes everything. It is so easy to complain and whine about our circumstances because of how we feel versus what we know to be true. We know God is able and yet, we will doubt God’s ability to make things happen for us. We know that God is the Creator of heaven and earth and yet, we act as if God is not in control. We know that God cares for us but when something happens to us that is not what we expected, we believe that God forgot about us or is punishing us. It’s easy to begin to place more confidence in ourselves than in God. When I focus solely on what is in front of me, I can miss all the things that are going on around me. I can find myself sad about a situation without seeing God’s goodness and the multiple blessings around me. Trusting my limited vision has set me up for disappointment.
The Bible tells us that there are consequences in solely depending on ourselves and our limited vision. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8) When we trust God’s plan, put God first, we can rest in knowing that God will make things work out not because of our wisdom but knowing that God’s plan is greater than our own. When we trust in ourselves, it’s easy to make bad decisions and even do things that go against God and what’s best for ourselves. The challenge of being tired and weary is that we don’t always make the best choices. What would happen when we know that we are tired and worn out that we went to God instead of doubting, complaining, or taking things into our own hands to solve? The part of this scripture that isn’t emphasized is that there is a healing and rest that takes places when we trust God. I don’t think we equate trusting God to rest and healing.
Doubt is often the result of disappointments that happen repeatedly causing anxiety. Can I really trust God with taking care of this for me? Just as there is a physical exhaustion, we can become mentally and emotionally exhausted affecting our relationship with others and with God. God knows the importance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual rest. It is a matter of trusting God to be our source of replenishment when our tanks are low, and we can’t go further. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) Trust and rest go together. We must believe that God is able to give to do this for us, but it is contingent upon our willingness to surrender. “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2)
Trusting God is necessary for our rest. This has been such a difficult season for so many of us. We can not allow the pain of the past to rob us of the possibilities of our purpose. If God repeatedly shares the importance of rest, there are lessons for us to know that it is a part of our journey if we truly want to experience God’s best for our lives. “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:9-10). Want God’s best? Trust God and Rest.
Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the host of the Tapestry Podcast and the author of three books for women. She is also the Vice President of Community Affairs for the State Fair of Texas. To learn more, visit drfroswa.com.
