An Invitation to Rest
An Invitation to Rest
By Bobbie Schaeperkoetter
True confession. I’ve had my pajamas on since I got home from work and I’m counting down the minutes until bed time. I’m tired but it’s more than that. I’m a little weary. It has been a very full few months and there have been some big things that needed my time, attention, and energy. The pace of life can sometimes leave us feeling a little weary. I know this isn’t just true for me. There are many of us feeling a little worn. Maybe that’s you, too.
Truthfully, as much as I am looking forward to a good night’s sleep tonight, what I really need is rest. My Sabbath is only a few days away and I’m looking forward to some slow, sweet time with the Lord. That kind of soul rest is what we all really need. It sounds silly, but there is a difference between sleep and rest.
Real rest refreshes. Real rest restores. Real rest revitalizes. Real rest that can do all of these things can only be found in one place.
Listen to Jesus’ words found in Matthew 11:28-30 NIV. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
I love the way the Message version puts it. Matthew 11:28-30 MSG says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
I’ve learned real rest is found in Jesus. I can come to him anytime and anywhere and receive the rest he offers. When I find myself feeling weary, it is often because I need to carve out some lengthy, focused, intentional time with Jesus to receive the rest he offers me.
When he tells us to come and learn from him, Jesus is inviting us to learn a whole new way of living. He wants to teach us that following his way, depending on him, leaning into his priorities and practices, and trusting him is the easier and lighter way to live.
My weariness and your weariness is a reminder to carve out some time to get alone with Jesus and recalibrate our souls. It’s an invitation to lay our burdens at his feet and receive the refreshment, restoration, and revitalization he offers.
At the risk of sounding like a salesman, can I say this? The whole goal of the INSPIRE Heart Retreat is to create a weekend where you can gather with your sisters, intentionally focus your attention on Jesus, and receive some real rest for your soul. Sometimes it is helpful for us to step out of the fullness of our everyday lives and reorient ourselves to God without any other distractions.
Jan Johnson, our speaker for the weekend, is someone who has learned those unforced rhythms of grace mentioned in the Message version above. She’s gifted in teaching practical ways that you can lean into those rhythms. She shares tools to help you learn to engage with God every day in your everyday life.
Of course, we’d love to have you join us for the INSPIRE Heart Retreat. But more than that, we want to equip you to have the rich and deep relationship with God that he is offering to you. That begins in our own souls and in our own lives and we grow in our relationship with God.
You don’t have to come to the Heart Retreat to find this kind of soul rest. It is God who offers it, not INSPIRE. We are simply creating a space and an opportunity for you to be with the Lord so he can give you the soul rest you need.
If you’re feeling weary, there are many ways to create receive God’s rest. There is something powerful about having a focused, intentional, and lengthy time with God if you’re in a season of weariness. You might consider your own personal retreat, observing a weekly Sabbath, even carving out a few hours one day to pray, worship, and journal incredibly impactful.
If you’re weary, you aren’t alone. We all get a little weary sometimes. We live lives full of commitments, responsibilities, relationships, work, and play. Instead of feeling guilty about feeling weary, we can choose to see our weariness as an invitation to press into Jesus and receive the refreshment, restoration, and revitalization that comes when we rest in him.
Prayer
God, help us to recognize our need for real rest in you. When we feel weary, help us to turn to you as the only one who can truly refresh, restore, and revitalize our souls. Create opportunities for us to have intentional focused time with you to receive your rest. Amen.
Scripture Meditation
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Journal Reflection
How do you create intentional, focused time to receive the refreshment, restoration, and revitalization Jesus offers?
Practice
Start small. Schedule one hour into your calendar this week to intentionally focus on God. Treat it like an appointment and keep it. You might use that hour to listen to worship music, pray, journal, read scripture, or sit in God’s creation as you contemplate him.