God Is A Resting Place

Good Morning! Hurrying really is a  sickness. It not only affects our relationship with God,...it also takes a toll on our physical and emotional well-being. God does not want our lives to be controlled by busyness. He wants us to rest in green pastures and walk beside quiet waters. Picture yourself moving step-by-step through a typically busy,...even frantic, day. Does your body tense just thinking about it? Does your mind shoot off in a dozen directions thinking of things you want to get done, or need to do? Believe it or not, putting ourselves through this kind of daily pressure is a choice. Yes, all of us have responsibilities that we need to fulfill,...but when we let those responsibilities take control of our lives, we lose the rest and peace that God intends for us. The rest and peace that we need for our mind, body and soul.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,—Psalm 23:2 (NIV)
Hurry sickness produces stress. A short list of the effects of stress includes digestive problems, headaches, sleeplessness, irritability, depression, obesity, and heart disease. This is not God's plan for us. During His walk on earth, Jesus recognized the need for solitude - and He taught His disciples to take time for themselves. Then Jesus said, "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. (Mark 6:31-32 NLT) Imagine yourself living out the picture in today's scripture. Lying in a green meadow, just resting. Sauntering beside a peaceful stream. No pressures. No phone ringing. No to-do lists. Each person's meadow and stream might look a little different. Sitting in a quiet spot reading a good book. Going out for a relaxed dinner. Hiking along rugged trails. Painting a picture. The list is endless. The important thing is to set time aside for yourself doing something you enjoy.

You may think you can't afford the time away from your responsibilities,...but the truth is, this time of respite will help you handle your responsibilities more efficiently,...and with much less stress..

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O' Lord, we're tired. And we are tense so much of the time,...even irritable with those we love. We know You want us to rest,...to experience Your peace. Please teach us to take time for ourselves so that we will be healthier in mind, body, and soul,...so that we may take care of our responsibilities more effectively. So that we will be more sensitive to the needs of others. So that we might live a life more pleasing and productive for You. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

"We live with good intentions of spending time with God, and turning our heart toward Him only to find at the end of the day that's the one thing we never got around to."