“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”
Psalm 116:7 NIV
When her heart got busy, the tug became real. It was an invitation she felt deep inside to convalesce. Not that she was overly broken. But she was beginning to recognize, as she got older, that life tended to wear her down but that God would build her up again. Over and over, she would return to the cocoon of His love and find herself restored, renewed, and stronger than before.
Nothing will come of the past now — what’s done is done. There are no promises for the future yet. But today … oh, today. The richness of this moment when you get to breathe air, feel the sun, watch kids play, feel sorrow and strong hugs, make plans, and see how God’s plans have unfolded.
Somewhere along the way we’ve learned that the hustle is everything. If we’re not working toward tomorrow, then are we really accomplishing anything of value? But when we live that way, we’re forgetting that God is at work. We also forget that rest is a part of the plan.
For some reason, it’s become an act of courage to choose rest over other things, but for God, He asks it of us. Slow down, He says. Look around you. Remember where you’ve been and take a look at where you are. Daydream about tomorrow.
When was the last time you truly rested? When did you sit on the back porch and sip a cup of tea? When did you lie in bed for thirty minutes before turning to your phone? When did you choose to trust God that resting is a part of your wiring? Make time today to rest. You’ll find Him waiting there for you.
God,
Thank You for the gift of being able to rest. There’s beauty in being able to reflect on the goodness of what You are doing in my life. May I slow down long enough to draw near to You always. I want my heart to be filled with thanksgiving and gratitude without my thoughts always rushing to the next thing. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Unrushed Living: Embracing Simplicity and Savoring Life’s Moments, by Sopha Rush, is a brand new 90-day devotional about the power of slowing down and relishing the beauty of life.
We’re moving faster and faster so that we’ll finally get there — wherever “there” is. But what if “there” was actually right here? Author Sopha Rush invites you to examine why you’re in a hurry, burnt out, and under pressure to achieve or succeed. She offers an alternative to the hamster wheel: placing our faith in God — daily — and savoring the goodness of life right where we are.
Through this 90-day devotional, you’ll find value and greater satisfaction in the spaces they once tried to fill and the moments you once tried to hurry along.
This was a much needed word this morning. I look forward to reading more about slowing down and taking in each moment provided by God.
I listen to this podcast every morning before starting my day!
This is such goodadvice. We all need that Sabbath rest.
Thank you for this word! It seems that I’ve always been in a rush, if not physically then mentally. I thought that when I retired the rushing would end, but it has not completely— I think it must be a habit! Thank you for the reminder to just enjoy today.
Thank you for this opportunity to win the book.
I’m learning this lesson of REST later in life. While I often feel unproductive when I rest, I can feel the uplifting of my heart and soul afterward. Thank you, for this devotional! Time for more tea
I love this. God always seems to speak to me through these posts. It was ver timely for me AGAIN! Thanks for this opportunity.
But today…oh today
Loved this!
Sophia your reading today really spoke to. I felt God sent it for me. That the tears came to my eyes as I knew through it God was using you to speak to me. See I do my elderly Dad’s Home for him Monday to Friday. On to the Lobe Lord and the Love of my Dad. I don’t take enough time to rest for myself. People have told me this in the past. You do far to much for your Dad. Don’t think of yourself and resting more. Especially when you suffer seizures. I did take a week of there not that long ago in August there. Me and my Husband went for 3 nights to a Place called Portrush in N.Ireland. For what we thought was a break from his work and me doing my Dad’s. As my Dad can be hard work at times. Because days his memory great day it not so good. Days he ask you questions. Get annoyed if you don’t know the answer to them then say how do you know that. He needs me Monday to Friday to do his House. You could go today and clean it tomorrow it could be as if you hadn’t cleaned it. He not able to do it. Needs my help. I hear people saying you do way to much for your Dad don’t enough time take for yourself and rest. I say to them but I have to do it for my Dad. It probably could wait some of it until the next day. Not do as much. I do take enough time of for myself. Like people who have a job get so many holidays a year to rest. I think to myself. But I have to just go and do my Dad’s house. I can’t take more time of for me as well. As my Dad needs me to do his house. It would probably be ok if I did take it of to just rest and charge my batteries. So I took that week of in August this year. To go to Portrush and stay in a lovely Christian B&B in a place called Ballymoney. Own by Sam and Jean Brown. Call Browns Country House. I was looking forward to the time of with my Husband. To do what we wanted. When I was there. I took two seizures. I took more when we got home. Sam and Jean were so good to me and my Husband when I was not well. They prayed for us. They felt for us both. When we were up for three nights on we break it didn’t turn out that way. God showed me. He said Dawn exhaustion got the better of you. Doing to much for your elderly Dad. Feeling you have to can’t take the rest feeling your Dad needs you. Then you body collapsed with tiredness and that made you go into seizures and take unwell. So God said Dawn you have to rest more. Yes you care about your Dad. I understand stand that God said. But you have to rest as well. You can’t just keep going and going helping your Dad. You have to recharge your batteries. I people who work. That you going into seizures was your body showing you that. So I feel it was part of God’s plan to say yes do your Dad’s but remember to look out for yourself and take time of to rest recharge your batteries. If you don’t you take ill take more seizures. My son Jesus when on earth took time from his busy schedule of doing my work that I wanted him to do. We all need to rest. So your readings today and as well as God it has spoken to me. I feel God is using it also to speak to. Thank you for it. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx Thank you again for it.
Yes, I really need to learn how to slow down more and just rest. Having to always be the one who takes cares of everyone else I need to learn to take care of me more. Lord help me!!
I agree with you Arnesia
I don’t take enough time to rest and think of myself. Slow down and rest. Always feeling I the one that needs to take care of everyone else. I need to learn how to take more time for me. Ask God to help me do that like you I will pray that you do. Like I have to. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
Sopha,
I shared your devotion because I totally agree with you. We are wired to rest in Christ!
Sending you joy,
Lisa Wilt
PS. I can’t help it to notice that your last name is Rush… I love that you’re helping other women to set “rush” aside to rest!
Such timely devotion for today’s world. Thank you for the chance to win this book.
This is right up my alley! I am retired and needing to live a slower life. My body is demanding it, but I do feel guilty sometimes for not being able to do all the things.
I would also like to share this book with my friend who retired this year and is having trouble getting off the rat-race wheel.
Dear Sopha……………What a perfect devotion for me today. It is just what I need and I ordered your book as I think it will do wonders for me and helping me to rest. I am 76 years old and my 45 years of work life was as a manager in Customer Service and I was expected to get things done right away. I took work home and drove the 45 minute trip on Saturday or Sunday if I didn’t get everything done. It was quiet then so I could get things done without interruptions. Well, My mind when I retired still stayed in that same season. If I tried to sit down and relax, I saw something that needed to be done so up I got and no more relaxation. I had a family, my mother-in-law lived with us for 16 years and we had 1 son. Sopha, I never realized that God wanted us to rest or relax. I always thought, I need to get everything done to please Him. All of this was fine in my younger years, but when I hit 70, things started to really wear me down, even the drive to work. After fighting with myself about my job, I knew that it was time to retire and that is what I did. Then, no rest for the weary. I noticed that my husband’s mind was failing and he said no, it is old age, but I did get him to a neurologist and pschoneurologist who both diagnosed it as dementia. I tried to get my 52 year old son, at that time to help me to get my husband out of denial. He had flushed all the meds down the toilet and instead of quitting all the alcohol he was drinking, he increased it and abused me every night for the 3+ years I stayed with him. So much more but I will not bore you. Ended as he almost killed me 17 months ago and I had to have him evicted for my own safety. To top that off, my son called me one night and kept calling me a liar about his father and told me he no longer considered me his mother and also, they would not allow me to see or speak to my 12 year old grandson ever again. This was a really heartbreaking call as he just hing up on me. It is almost 2 years now and no communication from anyone. I had to sell the house as we both needed money. Mu husband and I live in separate facilities. It took me 16 months to get the divorce and $30,000 in attorney’s fees to finally get this divorce 2 weeks ago; however, the distribution of the assets has yet to begun. I will not go on as I am sure you have many other things yourself to do, but I do want to thank you for your words and I will read this devotion over and over and look forward to your book. Thank you for sharing these wise words with those of us that need help. I send my love and prayers to you Sopha and wish you a Blessed week. Take Care…….Betsy Basile
Ahhhh…. Take that pause and soak in the Peace of God that passes all understanding!
Thanks for the reminder.
At 72 years of age I just retired and am struggling to know what to do ♀️. Rest!!!!
This seems to be a theme lately for me. I have said no to something I was doing for five years. It has brought a weird mix of relief and grief but I know it was the right decision. Saturday I actually allowed myself to lay in bed and watch my favorite show. It felt lazy but also like it was needed. I recently read a book about taking care of my soul. Then sounds like a good follow-up. Thank you for the opportunity to win. 🙂
Even retired, I still manage to keep my days chock-full of busy-ness! I NEED to slow down!
Thank you for the reminder of the importance to slow down and rest. We can get so caught up in the day to day or feel like we are not doing enough or that we are doing too much. So may we always come back to rest and recharge.
Resting is hard for me because I love being involved with people every day. I’ve learned so much about God’s amazing love in my 61 years as a Christian that I want to share it all the time. I do spend hours listening to Him, reading and praying but then I’m ready to go! Should I force myself to rest more? Of course, I’m tired at 83 3/4 but it’s worth it!
True rest is so important and often hard to come by. But it is just what our bodies need. This is a great reminder!
Thank you for your words. Timely reminder as we embrace all our days carry to pause and discover the gift of rest.
I always feel like I have to be doing something or I’m wasting away my life. Multitask and you get more done. Until you burn out.
Thank you Sophia. God is truly in the rest. As I age, I’m discovering this more and more!
Resting. AWH… Thank you!