When you hear something once, maybe you listen. When you hear it more than once, maybe you shift your ear to hear it better. When you hear something three times, let’s just say it might be a theme you should take notice of.
Don’t give up. I’ve heard that now three times in the last month.
Keep writing. That one has been a theme for the last few years so I guess I’ll keep writing.
Another word that keeps showing up is the word “restore.”
Over and over again in my life like a soft song at the back of my memory.
Restore.
Restore.
It came up in my prayer last week as I fought feelings of failure about the last 2 years. “Lord, please restore us. Restore my heart.” It dropped into my mind-words like I’d been searching for it but had forgotten the word itself.
It came up in my mind as I listened to a friend recount the story of friendship loss and heartache. That kind of grief is all too close to my heart. “We all need restoration, don’t we?” I thought.
What does it take to restore us?
And then I read it. He restores my soul. He leads me peace. And I lie down in rest.
And it comes up again as I sit here, hands on keys ready to write about rest. Rest and restoration.
I searched last night if maybe there is a word root connection between restore and rest because God knows, I have rest on the brain. I wanted so badly for the words rest and restore to have the same root. Rest + ore would fit so nicely. But there really isn’t. Our “rest” is from words that you might associate it with: remainder, leave-taking, sleep. “Restore” is linked to words that mean build and refresh (and interestingly, is from the same French word as “restaurant” is: to offer restorative or refreshing food.}
Even if there isn’t an official root connection, there is a practical overlap.
When I truly rest, when I fall back from where everyone else may be, when I quiet myself, I am restored. Like good food, rest is for the body. Like water. Like rich words to a dry heart, like a solid place to stand, like eyes closed to a cool breeze, this is rest.
It is not a chore, to rest, but it is a grand privilege to do it. It is one thing always at our fingertips that will renew and restore us.
What have you heard over and over again that you should take note of?
To see all the 31 Days of Rest posts click here.
lately ( a long lately) it feels like God is making me rest, and i am fighting it. i don’t agree with him that i need the rest, not entirely. i can see i need “leave-taking” outside of the home, i’m not fighting that anymore, but it’s here daily that i’m struggling.
thank you for your insight. pretty pictures.
i fight it too. all the time. miss you.
“t is not a chore, to rest, but it is a grand privilege to do it.” Beautifully said.
thank you lauren!
thank you Sarah for encouraging REST. i know for me, the reason i resist rest is because i am so “busy” earning my keep for God, or for family, or creating my value from what I do, rather than from WHO I BE. and who he already said I AM. if the GREAT I AM says it, is already is.
so true jenny!!!
Hi Sarah. I’ve been catching up on all your posts of the month this morning. God has had me on a journey of rest for a few months now. I already had the idea in my heart that I needed rest, soul peace, and then I strained my back a few weeks ago and I’m literally FORCED to rest. It seemed fine when it was my choice, but now that it is not I’m finding it difficult. I trust that this is my “season” to rest and I am leaning in to God to see what He wants me to learn. Thanks for your posts. Your writing is beautiful and encouraging. Also, the word that keeps recurring to me lately is “abundance”. I’m learning that God can produce abundance for and through me even while I’m sitting on ice.
mmm. i love that word too. hoping for you today, that you find rest and healing. thank you for your comment, anne!