Month: November 2019

November 26, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Rest from Schedule

Rest from Schedule

For most of us, there’s no shortage of commitments in our lives. If we look on the refrigerator, we can usually see some type of calendar or schedule that reminds us of our busyness. Kids’ activities, church events, deadlines, doctor appointments, school assemblies, games and everything else a family has pledged to attend.

Our schedules are exhausting. Just looking at them makes us weary.

I’m sure the apostles experienced exhaustion, too. They were forming the church. There was a world to reach for Christ and they took their assignment seriously. But I’m drawn to these verses: “With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” (Acts 2:46-47 NIV)

I sense a schedule of freedom as I read these verses. The apostles met daily in the temple courts and spent time having meals with their brothers and sisters in Christ. I don’t sense a rushed pace. They did this with “gladness.” They praised God as they met. They were able to rest, truly enjoying this daily experience. It could have become a burden, but it didn’t.

We need rest from our schedules or they will rule our lives. Take a day and close the calendar, pull your schedule off the fridge, shut off the alarms on your phone and live apart from your commitments. Practice a full day of rest.

It may cramp your style. You might have something scheduled every day of the week. For us, in some seasons, soccer tournaments crept into our Sundays. We bowed to the schedule and attended. Before we knew it, every single day was ruled by our calendar . . .  even that one day we had hoped to give to God.

I would make different choices now. My priorities have changed. As my kids used to say, “Can I have a do-over?”

When my wife and I moved to North Carolina, one of the blessings was that our calendar wasn’t packed. In fact, it was quite empty. No church home, no friends, no social or family commitments. It was a clean slate that we were careful about filling.

One of the things we decided to do was use Sunday afternoons after church to explore. We spent a couple hours driving, hiking and simply enjoying our new surroundings. It felt so refreshing to be off the clock and have no agenda. We’ll have to learn to protect that time as our commitments start to grow.

How can you clear time in your week so you’re free from your schedule? Take a rest from the craziness that invades your family and life. You’ll find that slowing down is a good habit and a healthy rhythm. Build rest into your week.

Within that rest, meet with God. Pray together as a family. Worship with the larger family of God. Talk about the Lord. Give your spouse and children time alone with him. A day without a schedule is a day you can deepen your relationship with God and your loved ones.

What a novel idea.

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest. Available from Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

November 17, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Rest and Prayer

Rest and Prayer

Are you on the go so much that you don’t have time for prayer? Not quick prayers, but uninterrupted time with God. When you discover the richness of prayer, you’ll know the richness of rest, too.

When we pray, we release our concerns to God. We praise him for who he is. We confess sin. We thank him. We turn our hearts to him. Instead of our tasks becoming our focus, prayer is at the center. The thought of this is restful.

Rest is more than a physical thing. It’s spiritual, too.

I’ve been traveling the past three days and, I must admit, my prayer life has suffered. My practice of rest has suffered, too, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

This morning, I finally had calm, uninterrupted time with God. I was able to pray without a deadline, read the Word slowly, worship God and simply sit before the Lord. It was restful. I felt as if I were breathing again.

This prayer time helped me get perspective. I came away with a better picture of who God is and sensed a greater confidence in him. God was bigger and the world was smaller.

Something special happens when we close ourselves off from life and retreat with God.

When you rest with God in prayer, worries and anxieties diminish. Being in the presence of God chases away those feelings. If they don’t fade away, then you need more time with God. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 NIV).

Knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the God of the universe cares for you should chase away any anxiety you have.

Resting with God in prayer also takes the focus off yourself. We get caught up in ourselves with our worries. Prayer is the antidote to that. When I prayed this morning, I began lifting the needs of others before God. Soon I was far away from my own concerns. I was waging a spiritual battle on behalf my friends and family members.

Resting with God in prayer grows your faith. As you praise God for who he is, thank him for his blessings and turn your requests over to him, the Holy Spirit builds your faith. Being in the presence of God without a lot of baggage strengthens your faith.

I don’t know how you’re doing in practicing rest. I’ve missed a handful of days in my 66-day challenge. But I keep coming back, experiencing more consistency in practicing rest. I encourage you to stick with it.

Spend time with God in restful prayer instead of rushing prayer. I know you’ll develop the habit of rest we’ve been considering during our 30-day focus together. Empty yourself to God, casting all your cares on him. Be consumed with who he is. Enjoy quiet fellowship with him. It will change your day.

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

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