There is Purpose in Rest

Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him! MATTHEW 6:8 TLB 

There’s something special about having a campfire with friends late in the fall, when the chill in the air hints at winter. Everyone knows spending time outside will soon give way to spending a lot more time inside. The fresh air feels exhilarating, the warmth of the fire invokes a little more gratefulness, and the conversations go a bit longer. 

The cold months pull us into our homes, and we find ourselves falling into hibernating tendencies. Savoring the simple feels easier. A bowl of homemade soup tastes gourmet. Blankets feel softer. The fireplace is especially comforting. While we’re cozied up in simple survivor mode, it can sometimes be easy to think we should be doing more. We can think our lives are passing by in the uneventful days of the ordinary and making no real impact. 

God has purpose in rest. He showed the importance of it after creating all that we see and all that we are. He put it in His top ten ways to express our love for Him. He knew we needed time to simply be. So, let’s do it. Rest without regret. Rest without letting the rigorous schedule of life interrupt. Rest with every fiber of our being, knowing His love is around us, preparing us for what’s ahead. We don’t always have to be doing, going, moving, or planning to feel like we’re living. Our life is in God alone. The simplicity of that truth is encouragement enough to face our days, however they unfold, with joy, confidence, and peace. 

God knows our every need, both spoken and unspoken. He hears the silent cries of our broken hearts as clearly as He hears the shouts of our frustrations and fears. We’re cared for constantly and completely by a love that will never hesitate to be all we need. 

Dear God, I’ll rest in You and Your perfect love today. Nothing can separate me from it, nothing is stronger, and nothing can stand against what You have planned! 

This is an excerpt from The Campfire is Calling: 90 Warming Devotions for the Simple Life a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.