Resting In A Shadow

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

2:36 am.

The numbers glared at me as I turned my phone over to check the time. Great, I had four more hours to sleep. But sleep never came.

Have you ever had one of those nights? Nights that you are so wound up that you can’t go to sleep, or nights when you went to bed with so much on your mind and in your heart that you couldn’t stay asleep?

Rest?

It sounds good, but I’m not one to rest when I have things pressing all around me. I’m great at putting on my mask and spending my days carrying my burdens while acting as though I’m full of faith and in control of my life.

But, when I go to the Bible to see what it means to rest in the Lord I began to understand that resting involves being still.

Psa. 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

I also find that Psa. 91:1 says,

“He who dwells in the shelter of the most High

will rest in the shadow of the almighty.”

Oh, that sounds wonderful to me, to be able to rest in the shadow of the Almighty, a place where I can find shelter beneath His expansive wings.

So what makes me stay awake most of the night without resting in the shadow of the almighty?

It’s usually because I’ve allowed my circumstances to distract me, causing me to neglect my relationship with my heavenly Father. Instead of running to Him with my cares I spend time worrying, walking in circles, or trying to take care of things all by myself.

And it’s so exhausting!

Yes, I need to rest.

How?

My answer comes from Jesus when He said,

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

(Matt. 11:28).

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