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Ready To Move – Able To Rest

Ready To Move - Able To Rest - Cover Art

 

Move or get out of the way.  If you aren’t moving forward you are moving backwards. These are just two of the phrases that keep our fast paced world driving forward. But is that what God wants?  I think He wants people who are ready to move and but able to rest as well.

Ready to Move:

This has been an interesting year so far for me.  With the Stuff I Learned Yesterday podcast being over, I’m down to one podcast a week.  I must say I’ve been negligent in taking my SILY thoughts and blogging them here.  That has had me caught up in the busyness of life.  So it is time to pause, reflect and blog some SILY TNG thoughts.  Because to quote Ferris Bueller: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

This world tends to be move, move, move or get run over.  But that is not how we were made.  We have to be able to rest as well.  Taking a break and pausing gives us the chance to reflect on what we have learned while on the move.  I’ve touted it here and on the SILY podcast, we need balance.  We have to be ready to move and able to rest. But let’s really define the words.

To move to do so with purpose.  We are not running in fear or confusion.  We are following  a direction with a goal in mind. Rest is not mindless zoning.  We have to be intentional in setting aside work, making places of rest, and letting ourself’s rest.

So taking this from a faith perspective, I thought about examples in the Bible.  There are a lot, but I feel like some would tread on blog posts and podcasts I’ve done already.  Today I want to focus on one.  The Israelites in the desert.

Move When He Does:

Ready to Move - Exodus 13:21-22

God was leading the people of Israel in a visible way.  The nation would pack up and move, following the pillar of clouds during the day and the pillar of fire at night.  It was a visible cue for them to move or to rest. While we do not have the visible symbol like they did, the principal still holds. We have to learn to move when He does and stop when He does. They also had to depend on the Lord for provision and they were not let down.  Their clothes never wore out and they had food for each day. While we are called to work be diligent in it, we have to remember who our ultimate provision comes from.

Let’s talk about how this gets walked out? Well for me it looks like this.  I have to be intentional in spending time listening to God. I do this by spending time in His word, sitting under godly teaching and getting the input of strong friends.  God may not speak to us audibly but He will lead us because He loves us.  As I listen to His word, I can make plans with His leading in mind, taking my cue from James 4:13-16.  Then I can begin to move.  If I am moving with intention and direction.  I can be ready to move to a different course as He directs, but I have to be listening to hear the change.

Stop When He Does:

I also learning that, I have to stop, pause and rest along the way.  But as I shared above, it is not vegging out.  It is resting intentionally.  We are giving our bodies, minds and spirits the time to rest, recover, be filled and renewed. God set up the standard of rest in the beginning of creation with a day of rest after a week of work. We need to do the same.  In a world where people work through lunch, leave vacation days untouched, work sick, and work overtime weekly; we need to re-learn the principle of rest.

Move Towards The Promised Land:

We are on a journey in this life and there will be rewards and setbacks along the way.  We all face struggles in keeping going.  There are struggles that cause us to get bogged down.  We get injured and worn out.  There are successes too when we run with for long stretches.  Our life is not a sprint it is a cross-country marathon journey. I am learning that I will fall down, but the aim is to fall towards the promised land and then get back up.

I have to surround myself with people who support me and who are on the same journey.  God gave Moses wise council to have godly men around him supporting him in the work of leadership.  They were there lifting some of the burden off his shoulders.  The same holds true for us.  We are not meant to live a solitary life.  Our life’s journey towards the promise land is group one.  We can encourage each other, pick each other up and give each other advice along the way.  But most of all just enjoy each other along the journey.

Moving To Rest – Resting to Move:

Ready to Move - Fitbit

I have started some new things in the last few months.  The Lord has been growing me mentally and spiritually in big ways over the last few years. But He has shown me I was still out of balance.  I was not moving or resting well in the physical arena.  I got a wake-up call in the fall.  My sugar levels were elevated and so were my bad cholesterol levels. On this journey we have to be in balance in all areas.  So I have been exercising 4 days a week before work, moving during the day, drinking more water, and trying to eat better.

I have also been more intentional in my rest.  I’m planning down times after busy times.  My bedroom is a place of rest and sleep.  There are no distractions there (TV, music, books, etc).  If my mind is racing or I need to think things out, I leave my bedroom to do so.  I’m training my mind and body that the bedroom is for rest.  I’m letting my times of rest motivate me to move more and I’m letting my movement be rewarded by rest.  I lived for decades out of balance in one area or another. Thankfully, the Lord is using this journey and the good godly advice and examples of others to help me move towards balance in Him.

Closing Thoughts:

I desire to be ready to move as the Lord leads and ready to rest.  My desire is to be a vessel the Lord can use and not burn out in the process.  I am learning to walk this journey out balanced physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. All this is happening because, I desire to be obedient to the Lord and walk it out with the people God has around me.  I encourage you to start this journey and keep your eyes open.  Be ready to move and be ready to rest.

 

 

 

About the author: I am a Christian who desires to serve the Lord daily. I enjoy blogging, photography, working with Mac’s, and enjoying music and TV. I have a heart to serve my church and on the mission field.

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