The Ever Elusive REST…Want It? By God’s Grace I Have It! :)

Rest is the God-given capacity to have peace, even when the circumstance that would burden your heart is not resolved.  Okay, this one will be brief, because I believe its power is in its simplicity.

Psalm 37:3-7, “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness . . . Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him.”

Psalm 37 is the 8th-longest Psalm in Scripture. Unusually, for one of David’s psalms, it is directed not to God, but to His people. It follows no logical progression, as it was originally 44 verses—two for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In other words, it is an acrostic poem.

The theme is trusting God during a season of perceived injustice. Next to almost every verse you could write one of three words: trust, wait, or rest. Rest is best understood as “peace without resolution,” and I am not ashamed to admit I have experienced way too little of that in my life. For that reason I have been poring over Psalm 37, praying for understanding as to how that promised rest (Matthew 11:28-30) is experienced. My study and meditation on Psalm 37 has yielded this single insight which has been incredibly impacting for me.

Trust without Waiting = Striving. I have done too much of that. Proverbs 20:3, “It is good that a man should stop striving.”

Waiting without Trusting = Worrying. I have done too much of that. Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life.”

Trusting + Waiting = Rest. I trust that God will work for my good. I have done what I know to do, and now I must wait for Him. I am at rest! I have peace without resolution, and it is a wonderful experience for which I thank the Lord.

Psalm 37:25-26, “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken… his descendants will become a blessing.”

Read comments:

• Jeff ThompsonAug.17.2011

  Amen! There’s such power in this. A few years ago, during a period of unemployment and waiting I read this Psalm every day for five months. Wait. Trust. Rest. I so needed God’s rest and he gave it abundantly. Now I’m privileged to serve as a pastor on Pastor James’ team. I learned so much from that time waiting, trusting, and resting in Him.
  “Never once did we ever walk alone, never once did you leave us on our own. God you are faithful!” -Matt Redman

• BrandonAug.17.2011

  Amen, so true!

  Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
  ~Psalm 9:10

• Gary KniseleyAug.17.2011

  Thank you. Your message was timely! With the heavy weights of ministry and long nights in the office I long for the “peace of God and rest from knowing God” more than time away. He is so worthy and He provides every necessary measure of grace to be carried along. Thank you for your faithfulness James and I am praying for you today–back in the office! God bless you and your ministry team.

• Ever Elusive REST…Want it? – James MacDonald | Christian Media CrossAug.17.2011

  [...] Comment (one comment)    Comment Policy        [...]

• Mark & Debbie WhitombAug.17.2011

  Rest! The one thing that becomes elusive during trials and tribulations.
  Waiting: For the unseen hand of God to move.
  Trust: When the gates of hell try to prevail against us we can be confident knowing we are His workmenship created in Christ Jesus. Nothing can touch us that has not first been sifted through the hands of God!

• oliverAug.17.2011

  Pastor James, thank you for this post. I am confused about your point on: Trust without Waiting = Striving. I have done too much of that. Proverbs 20:3, “It is good that a man should stop striving.”

  Proverbs 20:3 seems to be talking about resisting the temptation of arguing with others. Would you please help me understand what you mean? Thank you.

• AndyAug.18.2011

  Nice piece Pastor James. I also think that in finding and knowing rest that God is leading us to the pasture He wants us to go in – Him.

  I’ve found that the rest He wants us to be in also leads to those times/moments of undone, on your knees, thankfulness for His grace.

• MitraAug.21.2011

  Dear Pastor James
  I liked your heartily sermons in Harvest California. You explained the concept of forgiveness very good. When you want to put your foot in the way you have to take out your look at behind…just look at the light in front and go ahead.

  Blessing …Mitra

• One Bondservant's Diary · The Ever Elusive REST…Want It? By God’s Grace I Have It! :)Sep.01.2011

  [...] Sharing a post from Dr. James Macdonald’s blog. [...]

•