Devotion: A few times this week, I have referenced the idea of finding rest deep in our souls. It is true that the Lord provides us with physical rest through sleep and relaxation. It is true that He also provides us with mental rest through vacations, sabbath, and time alone with Him. But He also provides deep spiritual rest, the kind that you feel not just in your body but in your soul. Perhaps this is best described through the words of King David when he penned Psalm 62. Throughout this Psalm, he expresses a quiet confidence in the Lord’s provision for his life. Multiple times, he comments on his soul finding rest because his hope comes from the Lord. He writes:
Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge (Psalm 62:1-8).
Though it seems counterintuitive, the final words of these verses are a call to action for us: trust in God at all times, give it all over to Him, and find refuge in Him. A recurring theme in our ability to find rest is to first trust. When we are confident in handing over the worries of our lives to God, we experience a freedom and peace that comes from Him alone. Then, we can truly rest. Use this Psalm as a reminder that your soul can find deep rest in the Lord alone, you just first need to put your hope and your trust in Him.
Reflect:
- What are you worried about right now that is preventing you from experiencing the rest that God has for you? How can you give that over to God?
