A Place For Resting and Support

Next to knowing random pieces of trivia, I love knowing the definitions and meanings of words. Certain words can have different meanings or uses and when I know their different meanings, I better understand the word, but also how to use it. The word rest has some different meanings in the dictionary and then in the Bible, but there are some that are the same as well. From the dictionary, rest is...

---

[image]

---

repose, sleep; specifically: a bodily state characterized by minimal function and metabolic activities | When it comes to this type of rest, I'm pretty good at it! The older I have gotten, the more that sleep means to me. I seriously wish we could take naps as adults and you bet I do on the weekends. There are some days where I come home from work and I absolutely need a nap, but I try to hold out for bedtime. When 10:30 pm nears, my body knows it and slowly starts shutting down on its own. Rest in this sense, I got it down and love it. 

a place for resting or lodging | The first three things I thought about when I saw this meaning were: rest areas, hotel rooms, and my comfy bed. I love a good road-trip, but sometimes I just need a driving break and the rest areas seem to come at just the right time. Rest areas near state borders are the coolest, because they may also be welcome centers where I can learn more about the area (see my love of trivia in the first sentence of this post) and tend to have the best bathrooms. If a road-trip happens to have a hotel stay involved, I really like it. A good hotel makes for a good trip, so I try to choose one with the best pillows (even though I bring my own on every trip) and near good places to eat. Lastly, I also think about my own comfy bed, because although I love road-trips, there is nothing like coming back to my own bed where I can starfish sleep, with all my own pillows, and sleep until my heart and body are content. 

peace of mind or spirit | This is the rest that I'm searching for, like I mentioned in the intro to this series. My mind is constantly on the go and that's not necessairily bad, but when I start to focus solely on one situation, without first praying to the Lord about it, my thoughts begin to snowball out of control. Soon I'm completely exhausted, not relaxed, and worrying about the future, instead of thinking about the day and the moment that the Lord has placed before me. Then, I let fear creep in and lies start to come about something, someone, or even myself, that if I'm not careful, I will start to believe. 

something used for support | When thinking about rest as something used for support, I think about a walking stick that I might use while hiking. I used a stick sometimes when I hiked in Tahoe. I have bad ankles, little coordination, and I'm not very graceful, so I needed all the help I could getting up some of those terrains. It gave me the support I needed while climbing around rocks or as I walked down a steep slope. When I got tired, I could take a break and lean on the stick while I paused and caught my breath. This is the rest that I desire God to be for me. I want Him to be my support up the mountains, but also as I walk down into the valleys. When I get tired and don't think I'll make it anymore that day, I want Him to be what I lean on as I pause and take a breath. His Word tells me that He is my rest and He is where I will find rest for my soul. The hope and confidence I need to keep going is found in Him. He is the first and the ultimate place I need to turn to for support, for rest. 

---

For the month of October, I'm writing about finding rest.
Click here to read the first post and find links to all other posts in the series.  

---

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'