Peace, troubled soul, thou need’st not fear!
Thy great Provider still is near;
Who fed thee last, will feed thee still;
Be calm, and sink into his will.The Lord, who built the earth and sky,
In mercy stoops to hear thy cry;
His promise all may freely claim,
Ask and receive in Jesus’ name.His stores are open all, and free
To such as truly upright be;
Water and bread he’ll give for food,
With all things else which he sees good.Your sacred hairs, which are so small,
By God himself are numbered all;
This truth he’s published all abroad,
That men may learn to trust the Lord.(The Great Provider by Samuel Ecking)
I was skimming through an old Methodist Hymnal from around 1880 recently and came across this hymn. It really gripped me. It is easy to forget just how comforting it is to know that God is in control. I know a lot of times I focus on things that I see as wrong or lacking in my own life or what I see in the world. However, it is important to see the things that stay constant as well.
God is the most constant entity there has been and will ever be.It is vital that we come back to this place, this foundation that cannot be shaken. I lose sight of this but there is nothing sweeter than resting in the beauty of God being in control. It is easy to doubt this and I do from time-to-time. There are many times that the hurt or pain in my life can overwhelm me in ways that make it hard for me to see the truths of God.
It is hard to move in ways that foster rest in our lives. Here are some ways that I find helpful in seeking out rest:
- Do not be afraid of silence
- Meditate
- Pray and Listen
- Read
- Discuss what you read
Silence is important. It helps your brain slow down and interpret what is happening around you. It keeps you grounded and gets you away from the noise of life, literally.
Meditation is something that I think Christians are hesitant to do, but I have found it very beneficial. Just sitting and rolling some pieces of Scripture around in your mind can help bring understanding that you may have not found otherwise.
I think prayer and listening go hand-in-hand. Sometimes it is hard to pray. Sometimes it is easy to pray but we feel like we do not get an answer. Maybe, you are not listening for one. I think that it is crucial to take time to listen as well. Sometimes nothing will come, but it tunes your heart to the things of God.
Read. For me reading is everything. It keeps my mind sharp and rolling. Read. I cannot stress this enough. In addition, talk to people about things that you are reading. This brings about deepened relationships. Discussing things that you are reading helps you to articulate things that you did not know that you could. It turns thought into action and this is crucial to our faith.
I believe these steps help us to rest. They make us more comfortable with ourselves and one another and they create spaces where rest becomes natural and this is where we find God as the constant in our life.