As the weather gets colder (we’ve already had snow here in Kentucky!) and the days get shorter it’s a sure sign winter is coming (or already here!). It is something my husband and I dread and always brings about conversations about our plans for moving south (much more south) when our kids are grown and established. But as I sat this morning sipping my Holiday Blend coffee and watching the last few leaves flutter and swirl to the ground, I was reminded that the earth needs rest. It’s labored and bore beautiful flowers and plants, vegetables and fruit for our taking all year. Now it is entering a season of rest and dormancy. Rest is essential. Rest began with God, “God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation” (Genesis 2:2 CSB).
I used to get confused about “rest”. I would read the verse in Matthew, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 CSB), and would think, “I have come to you, Jesus, but I am still so tired!”. With raising a family, work and just the everyday demands of life, I often found that I was already tired upon waking in the morning. But as I began to learn to surrender things to Jesus and sit in His presence and allow His peace to wrap me up like a blanket, I began to understand more. The next verse says, “Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your SOULS” (Matthew 11:29 CSB, emphasis mine). I began to learn that when I surrendered things to Jesus I found rest from my anxiety, rest from my worries and rest from the busyness of life. Physically tiredness is one thing, but spiritual and emotional fatigue are another. The Psalmist says in chapter 62, verse 5, “Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him”.
Maybe God has called you to something new this season, or maybe He is prompting you to remove some things from your life. This is so important as we approach the Holidays and our “to-do” lists and calendars can become over-filled. I urge you to be selective about what you say “yes” to this season. That little nudge of dread could be the Holy Spirit telling you to pull back and rest in Him. With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, I pray that I will take time to sit and reflect, and REST in God alone. I’d love to hear your thoughts on rest! Leave me a comment and thank you for taking the time to read this!!
Devotions of Grace 
Oh, how we need to be reminded that rest is not just 8 hours sleep. I like you can wake with my exhaustion baring down on me. Rest in Him to carry our loud will give us true rest. Thanks for the reminder.
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You are welcome, Rhonda! Love you, friend! 💞
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Beautiful Crystal i try to give things to God and rest from anxiety that sometimes overtakes me.It’s good to be reminded that he knows our hearts and what’s best for us.
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Thanks, Theresa.
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Hi Crystal! Rest is much needed. Nowadays we have to be intentional about it and even more intentional about spending time with God because that is where our true rest comes from. Jesus is our safe place. Great post my friend! 💕
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Thank you so much, Dawn! Thanks for reading! 🥰
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Physical rest is important. Spiritual rest is even more important. We need time with Jesus to let go of the stresses of this life and be refreshed..
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Thank you, dear friend!! 😊 How are you?
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I am okay. How are you?
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Doing well. Good to hear from you!
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My go-to verse for spiritual and emotional rest is my mother’s favorite verse: Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) “Be still” means to quit striving I think of myself striving to free myself from my worries, like straining against something holding me back. But I need to just relax into God and LET Him be God. Thank you for this great post, Crystal!
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I love that! Quit striving! Great words and a great verse! Thank you! 😊
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I’ve never thought of winter as a time of rest for the Earth. Great perspective! I usually think of winter with a grumble in my heart and a longing to wear my flip flops again!
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It’s not my favorite season, that’s for certain! Thanks for reading! Love ya! 😘
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Rest is so needed for me. The more I go to Him for His yoke and leave my own, the better I feel.
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Yes!! Same here- if I would just learn to do it more! Thanks for reading!!
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Great post!
It’s funny how resting our souls completely in Him can end up helping us have better health and more energy when it’s all said and done! Kind of like the trees, huh? Like, the work has gone all inward and out of sight only to burst forth with new vigor at the right time! God is good! 😊
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Good to hear from you!! Yes, He is good!
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You too!
Amen! ☺
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