Calm Down.

If there’s one word I wish I could eliminate from the English language, it’s “hustle.” Everything about the idea of hustling rubs me the wrong way-- it seems incessant, unending, frantic, stressful, and all I can picture is a hamster running crazily on a wheel without really going anywhere. To me, rest is the opposite of hustle. When I think about rest, it seems peaceful, restorative, calm, and I picture an early morning by a still lake, still and quiet and beautiful.

I’m drawn to the idea of rest. My wife and I just returned from vacation in southern Texas. We enjoyed time with friends, walks on beach, playing in the ocean, and well, resting. I know the Lord desires that we would be still in his presence and draw near to him in worship, and more and more, I see the richness and value of resting in Christ.

Matthew 11:28 is a famous verse about rest: “Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.”

Couldn’t we all use a little bit of rest in our busy, fast-paced lives where we are more prone to hustle than we are to really take a breather?

The Bible talks about rest quite a bit.

Bonnie Gray wrote an article called “How Embracing Rest Can Change Your Life” for Relevant and she shares what she calls “8 surprising ah-ha moments about rest in the Bible” that I found fascinating.

Here are 4 of the truths she shares:

1. “Rest is emotional honesty.” One of the things I love most about life as a Christ-follower is that Jesus never demands my perfection or my polished self-- he just desires my honesty and authenticity. I can come to him when I am weary, when I’m not feeling it, when I’m doubting or distracted or disinterested, and I can be real about all of my feelings and questions. When I rest at the feet of Jesus, I can be truly and completely honest with him and he will give me rest in return. What a gift that is.

2. “Rest is a return to your true identity.” I love the quote that Gray shares from Brennan Manning: “Defined yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.” Sometimes it takes stepping away from all of the other labels and roles and responsibilities to realize in rest who we truly are and who we are called to be-- children of a good and gracious Father. When we’re caught up in our work or our parenting or our volunteering and serving, we can lose sight of who we are at the core, and rest reminds us of that.

3. “Rest is radical and countercultural.” The world is obsessed with hustle, especially here in America. We’re consumed by the idea of the American dream, feeling like we have to work hard all the time and climb ladders and make goals for our lives to matter, but rest goes against all of that. Rest says that it isn’t what we do or get done that matters, but who we are, and who God is. It can be hard to hear his voice if we are always surrounded by the noise. I remember my mom giving me the advice during a particularly stressful finals week in college to “get out of the fray and pray” and those words have stuck with me even years later. It might go against the current, but rest will restore our souls and make space for us to hear from the Lord more clearly.

4. “Rest isn’t failure. Rest is spiritual intimacy.” I’ve often heard people say that they don’t feel like they can take time to rest, because it takes them away from what they feel like they need to be or should be doing. “Sometimes it takes greater faith and courage to admit we’re tired and we need to asses why we’re doing what we’re doing,” Gray writes. “God welcomes soul searching. He loves being with us on that intimate journey.”

We know that even if we love the hustle and love the work and responsibilities on our plates, we will burn out if we go nonstop. We know we need sleep, stillness, and slowness in our lives, but it still can be hard to carve out space for rest in the middle of all the busyness of life.

I love how Matthew 11 in The Message paraphrase of Scripture invites us into a radical, life-changing kind of rest:

“‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.’”

Let’s keep company with Jesus day by day, walking with him, doing our work with him, watching him as he shows us the best, healthiest, most beautiful ways of living. Let’s allow him to show us what true rest looks like as he showers us in his perfect grace and endless love. Let’s let go of the hustle for just a bit and remember that at our core, we are his beloved, and he wants to restore our souls. Blessings on the journey.

How to Know You're Edging God out.

Warning signs are important: a light on your car’s dashboard; the sound of a siren behind you when you are driving; distant thunder before a storm hits. Doctors take your temperature and blood pressure to look for warning signs about the state of your health. We also must check for signs to alert us that our hearts may be out of alignment with God.

What are the warning signs that we may be falling into the trap of pride or fear? And what safeguards can we put in place to prevent this from happening?

During a session in which he was receiving counseling, a pastor expressed excitement about his transition to executive pastor of a multisite church. His wife, however, had recently pointed out to him that his tone was curt, and his patience was short. She told him his “inner grump” was alive and well. He acknowledged that this was his typical first line of response to challenging circumstances: he was afraid that he was not good enough to do everything the new position required.

His counselor had noticed that, as he was initially describing the situation, almost every sentence he spoke had begun with I. The heaviness in his voice indicated he felt great pressure to have all the answers and to not disappoint anyone: “I’ve got to . . .” “I can’t let people down.” “I have to work long hours, and my family doesn’t understand.” The I factor warning sign was there, suggesting that this pastor was depending on himself instead of on God.

What about you? 

Listen for the I factor in your conversations. Note any words or thoughts that depict you as less than (fearful) or more than (prideful). Notice whether you too often direct a conversation back to yourself or you interrupt someone’s story to tell your own. Are your conversations laced with I, my, or me? Are you others-focused or self-focused? If the latter, consider this a warning sign that you may be on the path to Edging God Out.

The following true story tells of an encounter between Abraham Lincoln and one of his army officers.

During the Civil War, President Lincoln was visited by Colonel Scott, a commander of the troops guarding the capital. Scott’s wife had drowned in a steamship collision in Chesapeake Bay. He had appealed to regimental command for leave to attend her burial and comfort his children, but he was denied. He took his request to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, who also refused. In his ultimate appeal, Scott was the last visitor allowed to see Lincoln in the presidential office late on a Saturday night.

As Scott recalled, Lincoln listened to his story and exploded. “Am I to have no rest? Is there no hour or spot when or where I may escape these constant calls? Why do you follow me here with such business as this? Why do you not go to the War Office where they have charge of all matters of papers and transportation?”

Scott told Lincoln of Stanton’s refusal. The president replied with equal fervor that, during this time of war, everyone had burdens to bear. He sided with Stanton and denied Scott’s request. Lincoln again suggested Scott go to the War Department, and if they didn’t help him, Scott was to bear his burden until the war was over. Colonel Scott returned to his barrack, brooding.

Early the next morning Colonel Scott heard a rap at the door.

It was the president. He took Scott’s hands and apologized, saying, “I had no right to treat a man with rudeness who has offered his life to his country, much more a man in great affliction. I have had a regretful night and now come to beg your forgiveness.” He had arranged with Stanton for Scott to go to his wife’s funeral.

We are prone to making poor decisions when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. So we need to HALT when any of these factors are present. Take time to give your answers and measure whether or not you are in the right frame of mind to make decisions and interact with others. Always remember, it’s the Holy Spirit leading us to great and wise decisions, not ourselves. Pause and reflect before every interaction. Blessings on the journey.

Life Remedy

Halloween is approaching. I remember as a young guy getting that bag full of candy, getting back home, sorting out what I really liked and gorging myself. Afterwards I would be sick to my stomach, wishing I had paced myself.

You know in life, we do that don’t we? We see what we think is a good thing and we go after it. We devour it, thinking it’s what we need when in fact, there is something better out there. I may think money is the answer so I work 70 hour weeks. I do get the paycheck but my marriage suffers and I never see the my kids.

I may think it’s about physical relationship so, whether I am married or not, I may seek to fulfill my physical desires and need for psychologically stroking by inviting multiple partners into my life. I may think it’s all about the title on the door so I backstab and hurt people in order to get to the top of that corporate ladder.

We have all made poor decisions in our lives that remind us there is only one way for us to be safe, healthy, relationally rich and family satisfied…it’s in Jesus we find the ability to truly live life and live it to the fullest. Jesus tells us that in John 10:10, “Jesus has come to give us (his disciples) a rich and satisfying life.” But we must believe that it’s life in Him that will be so full and so rich. And we discover some truths along the way when we choose the way of Jesus over our own life decision.

When we choose Jesus, we walk with God as his son or daughter. Paul uses adoption language in Galatians 4:5-7. God loves you more than you love your own children! I love my two boys. I’d do anything for them. It’s hard to believe I serve a God who loves me more than that…but He does! And there is no amount of accomplishment that will make him love you more. He doesn’t base his love of you on your ability to be perfect or study the Bible more or eat certain foods. He just loves you. In Jesus, you’re his son…his daughter.

And when you choose Jesus, we walk with God as part of his family. God never designed us to journey alone. We are meant to be in community. Paul uses adoption language again in Ephesians 1:5. We are adopted into the family of God. That is why the church exists. It’s the family of God. Now, like your family, there are all kinds of characters. And God’s family is the same. As we watch each other, I Iearn what it means to forgive and be inclusive and offer grace and be patient. Hopefully, you’re learning some of that from me as well. In Jesus, your part of the family and not alone in this life.

Finally, when we walk with God we walk like Jesus walked. When we say “yes” to Jesus, we begin the transformation process and become more like him every day. When we choose this life, we bring a little bit of heaven to earth. After all, Paul said in Philippians 2:5, “You MUST have the same attitude of Jesus”. If you are a disciple, there is no choice…it’s what we do. No matter the chaos that might be going on around us: COVID, job loss, relational struggles, sickness, financial hardship…nothing can steal our joy because we have a life centered in Jesus. He changes everything for us!!

So, may you choose a better life. May you say “yes” to Jesus. It’s the best choice possible. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life…” Jesus will give you the best life you’ve ever lived. Blessings on the journey.

I'm worn out.

How are you doing? Feeling worn out? tired? Exhausted? Well, you are not the only one. COVID-19 has done a number on most of us but my guess is, if we were honest, we were tired already. We all push the envelope and burn the candle at both ends. We are a people who squeeze as much as possible out of every single day. While that seems to be an American value, is it a value that we need to consider spiritually?

Studies show that when we are tired, we become very vulnerable to other emotions. We open the door to things like depression, anxiety, and irritability. Being worn out is a gateway to other things.

But David reminds us how we should be living: with a rhythm of rest. The most beloved Psalm of all time is Psalms 23. David acknowledges the Lord is his shepherd. That word in Hebrew language really means “shepherd-companion”. It’s the idea that the Lord is David’s personal shepherd. God sees David not as a sheep in a big flock of sheep but knows him by name and knows exactly what he needs. It’s in God that David finds rest.

We are all looking for that kind of rest and a non-anxious spirit. If you go back to Genesis 1, you’ll read the creation story. Genesis 1 has a rhythm to it…a poetry. There’s a beat. When you get to Genesis 2:3, you discover part of that rhythm is rest. “God rested after all he created”.

Then in Exodus, God commanded his creation to incorporate the rhythm of rest in their daily lives. Each day, they are to stop during meals and in the morning and at night to pray and rest in all God had created for them. At the end of the week, they called Saturday the Sabbath and on that day, all day long, they rested and did not work. Throughout the year, God’s people had celebrations and feasts to stop, rest, and celebrate all God had done for them.

In our post-modern age, we have become people without rhythm living in a world without rhythm. We say rest sounds good and appropriate but my calendar, my voice, my life says differently. So, we go, go, go thinking we accomplish more by ignoring the rhythm of rest that should be in our life. However, when we take the time to incorporate that rest in our lives, it renews us spiritually, resets us emotionally, and restores us relationally. Living with a rhythm of rest demonstrates our faith is real.

With David in Psalms 23, we can say “we lack nothing” because we know He ultimately provides. Rest is not a time to do but a time to be. David reminds us to create margin in our lives…to intentionally receive things from God. So let me encourage you to do some things this week to create margin to hear God’s voice.

Get off your phone for 30 minutes a day. Put it away where you can’t hear the dings and rings. Get off social media for two hours a day. Allow time you usually spend “scrolling” to connect with God. Stop watching the news. Some of us leave our TV on all day to get the latest. Sure. Watch your 30 minute newscast but that’s it. And finally, go to bed at a reasonable hour. With us not going in to work and not going to school, it’s easy to rationalize staying up to all hours of the night. Get your 7-8 hours of good rest.

In Mark 1, Jesus set the example for us. The town brings out their sick and Jesus heals them all. He’s preaching and teaching. But in verse 35, it says that Jesus got up early in the morning, went to an isolated place and prayed to God. He simply rested in his Father. If Jesus needed that, my guess is we do as well.

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me and I’ll give you rest.” So, go to Jesus. Get some rest. Lay your burdens at his feet. Blessings on your journey.