Rest, Refresh, Reflect & Grow

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“He makes me lie down in green pasture; He leads me besides the still waters.” – Psalm 23:2

There’s a time for everything. A time to work and a time to rest. The psalmist writes, ‘He makes me lie down in green pasture’ in relation to how God finds it important for us to rest. Shepherds watch over their sheep feed and afterwards, he allows them to lie down and take some rest for them to chew and digest what they had eaten earlier.

In similar manner, God the Good Shepherd allows us to enter into a season of waiting, a season of rest, a season where things sort of slows down. He may cause some things in our life to pause, in order for us to rest, refresh, reflect on His goodness and grow. Often, when we enter into a season of waiting, we become frustrated because things aren’t happening as fast as we wanted them to go. We complain a lot about why things are going so slow or nothing seem to be happening in our lives and yet we don’t realize that it is God ordering our steps. His intentions are for you to take a rest, refresh yourself and reflect on the things He is trying to teach you and how far He’s brought you while in your season of waiting and grow.

In your season of waiting, what do you focus on? Do you focus on the things that are not working for you or do you focus on the things that God is trying to teach you? Do you focus on the provision that God gives you while in your waiting season? When you enter into a season of waiting, it is important to realize that God is making you lie down in green pasture, He’s trying to teach you something that you will need in your next season. You may think that God has forgotten about you because things aren’t working for you but really, He hasn’t. God has not forgotten about you, even the pasture that you lie in is still green; which is part of God’s provision. [We don’t like waiting, but that’s when God does some of His best work on our souls.” – Charles Swindoll]

When we are tired, and weary because of life’s struggles and the burdens upon our shoulders, God our Good Shepherd, leads us besides still waters. Drinking from still waters is refreshing and safe. A rushing stream is sometimes dangerous and intimidating, and once you are in, it might be difficult to get to safe grounds. The good news is, God is leading you down to still waters, His water refreshes our soul, it gives us new hope, His stream is living water. Where do we find it? His word (Bible) is the living water that refreshes our soul when we are weary. When we have no hope left, His word gives us new hope, it gives us strength to withstand and conquer the challenges we face. [God’s Word is like refreshing rain that waters crops and seeds, it brings new life to open hearts, and meets us in our needs]

Do you feel like God is making you lie down in green pasture, or leading you down to still waters? Don’t fight it but rejoice. For God is working something good in you. While in your season of waiting, enjoy those moments of rest, be refreshed through God’s Word and reflect on the goodness of God and grow in Him.

 

 

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