Posted by 90 Days of Prayer Day Fifty-Nine
Psalm 116:7
“Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.”
Great faith and a deep abiding assurance comes from our personal experiences of the goodness of God’s grace. When the Psalmist found he was no longer resting in God, he simply told himself “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.”
We all find ourselves in unpleasant situations, sometimes a result of our own doing. It’s during these times we need the grace of God most. Yet, we tend to depend on Him the least. I’m sure you’ve experienced the frustrations that come from your own failed attempts to fix things, and wonder: “God where are you?” “Why aren’t you showing up?”
Sometimes You Just Need to Rest
These are the times when you just need to settle down; stop complaining, and rehashing old pessimistic thought patterns, and rest on God’s unchanging grace. These are the times you need to follow the instructions of Jesus: “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.” – Matthew 11:28-30
Haven’t you ever tried to help God by adding your own “good works” to the equation? Like me, I bet you continue to stress and struggle trying to change your situation rather than allowing yourself to rest in Christ. How easily we lose sight of how good God is!
A Declaration God’s Goodness
Here from my own journals is a meditation I adapted from Jeremiah 32:37-41, I hope it helps you to rest in God’s sustaining grace. “I will surely gather you from a place of confusion, disunity, and the dread of great punishment; I will bring you back to the place I’ve prepared for you and let you live in safety, securely under My protection. You will be my people, and I will be Your God.”
“I will give you vision and hope for the future. I will work in you singleness of heart and action, so that you will always have reverence for Me. I desire to cause things to go well for you and for your children after you.I have made an enduring agreement with you. If you will believe and trust Me, I will never stop doing good to you, and I will inspire you to have respect for Me and My ways.”
“I will work within you the desire and ability to cooperate and live in agreement with Me, so that you will never turn away from me. Know that I rejoice in doing you good and will surely establish you and your family in the land. Believe that I have desired to save you, and with all My heart and soul will I do these things for you.” Take this meditation to heart, declare the goodness of God, return to resting in His unchanging grace, and Be Encouraged! – JSP