I knew it would be a contentious and adversarial day. Whether it is family, friends, or in the workplace, relationships frazzle and the fearful strike out.
I was preparing the previous night with evening prayer, meditating on Psalm 62:1, “Only in God is my soul at rest; from Him comes my salvation.” I discovered its meaning in my life during a visit to a monastery in July 2007 after a tough year of breast cancer treatment. I started trusting God and found that I was no longer consumed with worry or anxiety. God is in control, and I’m able to rest in that assurance.
During my evening prayers, I didn’t pray that God would eliminate the controversies or the perceived animosity, but instead that He would lead us through them. I trusted that He would find a way. I randomly opened my Bible and landed on Psalm 95. I read through to the last verse: “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
The notes in my NIV Study Bible held the key: "Numbers 14:30 says 'not one of you will enter the land,' but since the promised land was also called the place where God will give his people "rest", the two statements are equivalent. Rest: A rich concept of a place with God in the Earth where we are secure from all external threats and internal calamities."
I’ve found that Psalm 62 instructs me to give up control to God so that I have rest, and Psalm 11 declares that when I rest in God, no one can take it away from me. I no longer need to wrestle with the outside world, or the demons from within.
I rely on God during my tough days and He doesn’t disappoint. I have found that place of rest with God on the Earth. I am very thankful today, and every day, for my faith.
I pray that you too will find rest in your life. Don’t let anyone take it away from you.
Blessings, my friend,
Agatha
(My book CHASING MY FATHER is a memoir of the past 6 years as I embarked on my journey to find rest. Excerpts are here on my blog, and information on purchasing a book, Kindle or iTunes version is available at this link: CHASING MY FATHER).
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