The Lord is my shepherd I have all I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. Psalm 23:1-3

It is hustle and bustle time again. Rush hear – Rush there. I find my peace slipping a bit. If I am honest it isn’t just the holidays. The daily stresses of life can be quite loud at times.

I love the picture of REST God longs to give us in Psalm 23. How awesome would it be to truly feel we have all we need in Him. He is asking us to pause and take time to lay in green meadows and  journey with Him beside peaceful waters. He does this so that he can renewing our strength for what lies ahead. I don’t know about you but I need a whole lot more of that!

The thing I have found is that Rest comes when we choose it! 

Here are four ways we can choose to enter into the REST God longs to give us:

Relax: Stop striving, stop pushing. Your mile long to-do list isn’t God’s list for you, it is yours. We are not loved by God because of what we do for Him, we are loved by God just because that is who He is. He loves us because He loves us because He loves us!!!

Escape: Make your alone time with God a priority. I promise you will get more accomplished in the long run. More of Him = More of everything you need!

Silence:  Listen more than you speak. Pause to hear His voice. He wants to direct you. To reveal all He knows to you. His view gives us peace even in the most stressful of situations. He knows just what to tell you to guide you through!

Trust: Trust not in your own understanding but in all your ways look to Him and trust where He is leading you. Ask Him what your focus should be. He doesn’t want you spinning 10 plates at one time. Most often our stress is generated by feeling like we need to be doing more instead of asking God what He wants for us in this season.

Take time this Christmas season and beyond to relax, escape, be silent, and trust Him more! God wants you to get away with because He longs to tell you the secrets of living a peace-filled life. “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” Jeremiah 33:3

Be Blessed ~ Be a LIGHT!