What A Relief

My heart was heavy so I made a prayer list which grew longer than I had anticipated. I began talking to the Lord. He listened awhile and then reminded me of something I already knew but obviously had forgotten. I would like to share this revelation with you. God is God, and I am not.

At that moment I realized I was trying to fix everything and everyone. Maybe it’s because I am a mother, and a mother’s job requires a lot of, well, mothering. I wanted to make sure all was going well and I had gotten carried away. This could possibly be called controlling. I was making sure everyone was doing the right things, what I thought was right. When I couldn’t fix every problem I was getting frustrated. I should mention the fact that everyone else was getting frustrated too. What a relief to be reminded that being God is not part of my job description.

The Lord reminded me of Hebrews 3 and 4 and “the rest” that God has made available to us.

“So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath-rest reserved for the [true] people of God;

For he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own.

Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].”   Hebrews 4:9-11 (AMPC)

I find humor in verse 11. We are told to “exert ourselves” and “strive diligently” to enter God’s rest. It sure takes a lot of work to rest.

Then the Lord led me to 1 Peter 5:6, 7.

“Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you.

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”

My pride had kept me from giving my cares to the Lord. I was trying to maneuver without God’s help, impersonating God for myself and everyone else.

When life weighs heavy on our hearts and we don’t know what to do, this is a good place to start…

1) Enter God’s rest

2) Cast your care upon the Lord

3) Repeat after me (as often as needed), “God is God and I am not.”