Why is it So Hard to Rest?

Why is it so hard to rest? To take a break? To “do nothing”?

Years ago, I remember the Lord telling me to rest, stay in His Word, and take it easy. But that didn’t work out with my schedule, so I didn’t make the time.

The next week something happened that knocked me flat on my back. I was not prepared because I didn’t listen to the Lord. I got through the tough time, but it was a whole lot more difficult than it needed to be.

God knew I needed to be strengthened to be able to handle what was coming. Since then I’ve learned to trust Him a bit more, although rest is always difficult.

This time God asked me to put down my writing for a season and focus on my husband, family, prayer, health, and work…in that order.

But wait! My publisher is closing their doors, so if I “do nothing” my books will not be available. If I don’t write on my blog (which I haven’t for over 3 months anyway), what will my readers think?

As I sit here 100% sure I’ve heard God correctly, I ponder why it’s difficult to obey.

Maybe it’s because I fear losing followers. No, I don’t think so; when I write and share, God brings the people who need to read what I’ve written.

Maybe it’s because I’m uncertain about my calling. No, I know He called me to write and I know the joy it brings me. I am a writer.

Maybe it’s because too much of my perceived value to God is in my writing. As Joyce Meyer says, it’s in my “do” instead of my “who”.

Yes, I can easily fall into measuring my worth by the visible response I get to my writing. That’s part of it, but not all.

So why is it so hard to rest? Like with most other things, I think the main reason this or any other season of rest is difficult is because I don’t understand it. I am called to write, now I need to stop? I don’t know why, I don’t know for how long, and I don’t know what this new season will bring.

My ministry name is Life Is Not A Formula. I think God gave me that name to remind me that it’s futile to try and figure things out, especially where God may be leading, or why He commands this or that. He wants me to trust Him completely with everything day by day, and that includes my writing.

So how is rest related to warfare? If I don’t obey, I will be out of God’s will for my life, and that’s not a safe place to be; I become enemy bait for him to steal, kill, and destroy what God wants to do. My writing can only be fruitful if I am writing under God’s inspiration.

Most importantly, I miss out on intimacy with my Daddy when I try to go where He is not leading.

I’ve learned it’s not worth the risk.

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2b     a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3b    a time to tear down and a time to build,

7b     a time to be silent and a time to speak,

                (Ecclesiastes 3, NIV)

So I choose to accept and receive God’s season of rest from writing. I’ve already seen His hand of blessing in many ways over the past several weeks. Now that I’ve accepted it, I look forward with anticipation to what He’ll do in me and through me during this season of rest. It won’t always be easy, but it will definitely be worth it.

And when He releases me to do so, I’ll write all about it!