Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Rest is Good for the Heart

A season in life when hands are full, days are busy.

In Chinese, the symbols used to describe the word busy are heart and dead.

Busy = heart dead.

Too busy to stop and enjoy. Too busy to go slow and savour. Too busy to listen. Too busy to seek. Too busy to pray. The result - a dry, aching, empty heart.

This fall has come crashing in on me. A move, with all of its headaches and details to tend to - buy a house, find new schools, move utilities, switch this, research that... A big party to plan and carry out, with friends and family to entertain. A blessing, yet a busy time. A women's event. A ministry fair. A course in Biblical exegesis. A slightly incomplete renovation. Children to tend, love, and feed. A house to keep. A husband working 15 hour days. A million and one ministry details to wrap up and leave in good order for someone new.

And somewhere in the busy, the heart's lifebeat slows.

I have considered hiring a housekeeper, putting the little ones in a dayhome, going back on anti-depressants after five years without, getting help with anything that can be done by someone else. Yet I know that none of that will revive this heart of mine.

The One who brings hearts back to life, who removes the busy and replaces it with peace and joy - He is the solution this heart needs.

Busy = heart dead.

Rest in Him = true life, full life.

Find rest, o my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. ~Psalm 62:5

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for this reminder Tyler! While I try to protect our schedule very much around here, it still feels like life is too busy to rest. I'm at a place of really contemplating how to do it all and what should/can give. Each time I stop to rest and pray for these things in my life, I'll remember you in prayer as well!

    (By the way, I hadn't quite figured out it was you that was moving by your earlier post! I thought maybe some dear friends were moving instead! Too funny! I know that stress all too well as we did it just a year ago. Lifting you up!)

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  2. Take and enjoy your well earned rest in the Lord. Even though your busyness has drained you, you blessed us all incredibly in the celebration you planned for your mother. You have a servant heart...being weary from having a servant heart can be a good thing too. Now, snuggle up with your Lord, and let Him give you rest and refreshment.

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  3. Hey! I just popped over from Beth Moore's blog when I noticed we chose the same memory passage this month. Wow - I'm glad I did. I've never heard the story of the Chinese character for 'busy.' I'm memorizing it in the NIV, but check it out in The Message - "learn the unforced rhythms of grace..." mmmm...good stuff! Blessings to you and your family!
    "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
    "Come to me. Get away with me
    and you'll recover your life.
    I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me
    and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

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  4. I am so thankful for yours thoughts! I don't often (especially recently) have time to keep up with my blog reader, but always find myself thankful to stop here!
    Rest in Him,
    Andrea

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