A Prayer to Reclaim Rest - Your Daily Prayer - July 21

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A Prayer to Reclaim Rest
By Lia Girard

Bible Reading:
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. —Psalm 4:8

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I'm not sure why, after so many thousands of years, it seems humans are still stressing over whether there’s any peace to be found in the daily struggle to survive and thrive. Even though we have the gift of biblical wisdom to explore and meditate on, we often overfill our lives with, frankly, more than we can handle physically and emotionally. Add to that the heavy guilt that comes from stewing over unfinished to-do lists, and sometimes the decision to just lay it all down and rest can feel irresponsible. Maybe even brazen.

And because I catch myself rushing, worrying, and overextending, I need this reminder today, too.

I need to remember that God's ultimate plan is restoration. And you can't even spell that without rest.

We see this in the very first book of the Bible. Even God himself, after performing the immeasurable and miraculous work of creating everything literally, needed time to rest. Genesis 2:2-3 tells us—

“By the 7th day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Now, God is both perfect and infinitely capable. It’s plausible that he would need no downtime at all. But at the start of his love letter to us, he tells a story that culminates in his choice to rest.

Of course, you and I are not created to be God. Each of us is designed with a beautiful biorhythm that necessitates sleep. Science also proves that chronic stress, without rest to renew our cells and systems, can foster a multitude of ailments and challenges. While it’s true that our bodies will eventually fail us and that we will live eternally in heaven, there’s no reason to purposely fast-track our breakdown by refusing to let go, relax, or sleep.

I remember a time in my life when I was between jobs, in a temporary apartment, and caring for my son through a painful life-change and lifestyle I didn’t understand. One of my healing practices was to write scriptures on index cards for easy reference. For many nights, I would pick up the card next to my bed, on which I’d written Psalm 4:8, and whisper it aloud to God:

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

Because of this truth, I knew I was allowed to unclench my grip on all my fears and worries. I reminded myself that God would watch over me and keep me safe.

If you struggle to fall asleep at night, or to sit and do nothing because your body is asking you to, or to let something go undone so you can take a breather—maybe Psalm 4:8 can help you, too. Or, maybe Psalm 23 can encourage you that God invites you to lie down in a green pasture and relax beside quiet waters. And why does he offer these things? To refresh your soul.

Reclaiming your God-given requirement for rest involves shifting your energy from striving to trusting. Remember, he asks you in 1 Peter 5:7 to cast your cares on him. He invites you in Philippians 4:6-7 to present your requests to Him—and trust that he will guard your heart and mind.

God doesn’t intend for you to overfunction without refreshment, but he does require your participation. He wants you to seek his peace and release your exhaustion into his loving hands. Through Jesus, he gives you the everlasting invitation in Matthew 11:28-30—

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Rest is where you can know you are loved, just as you are. Not for your works or your achievements, but because you are a beloved child of God.

Let’s pray.

Dear God,

Help me remember that rest is an intentional gift from you. Remind me that I am not proving myself to you; rather, I am celebrating your goodness. Show me how to ease the pressure I put on myself and make room for the restoration my heart, mind, soul, and body need. Please inspire me with ideas for relaxing that let me enjoy unstructured time, naps, or sleep without guilt. I know you desire what's best for me. Help me not to stand in the way of the sweet refreshment you provide. Show me how to reclaim rest.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Discuss today’s devotional with others in the Your Daily Prayer thread on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Halfpoint Images

Lia Girard is a seasoned writer, poet, and voice artist who formerly served as Faith Editor for Crosswalk.com. She currently co-hosts the Your Daily Prayer podcast on LifeAudio, and shares her peaceful, reflective poetry inspired by the wonders of nature on Instagram @wildpeace.poetry. Lia enjoys life with her husband and grown children, and walking in the woods with God.

Related Resource: What to Do When God Seems Distant

What do we do when God no longer feels as close as He used to feel?

Many sincere believers experience seasons when prayer feels empty, Scripture feels quiet, and God seems strangely absent. For leaders especially, those seasons can feel confusing, discouraging, and even shameful.

In this episode of the Unhurried Living Podcast, Alan Fadling sits down with theologian and spiritual formation professor Kyle Strobel to discuss the new book When God Seems Distant, coauthored with John Coe. If this episode helps you recenter your work and life on God, be sure to follow Unhurried Living on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!