The Effort of Rest part 5
The Effort of Rest is, well, actually resting. And that can be hard. Because we, as a species, seem to find it much harder to do nothing than to do something. Anything. Usually the wrong thing. And I know there's a expression that says, "More is lost by indecision than wrong decision." But the BEST decision is to let love guide the way. Always. Because love never fails. And, listen, that does not mean that love gets YOU everything you want. If you've ever truly loved someone--with that giving everything you have and everything you are, laying your life down for your friend kind of love--you know that no matter how hard you love someone... people are going to do what they're going to do. And they aren't always--or even possibly ever--going to do what you want them to do. Now watch this (and this has been one of the hardest things for me to wrap my brain around ever since I became a father): Sometimes you have to let people make their own mistakes. Even when you know better. Even when you've been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Even when you KNOW what's going to happen. Sometimes you have to try very hard to do nothing. Because you can't force your will on anybody. Again: people are going to do what they're going to do. And while you can--and should--be there to help and support... if you're in my circle I can almost guarantee you've heard me say, "I've got your back"... that doesn't mean that you can--or should--stop people from being who they are. That kind of control really doesn't exist. And its certainly not something that love (or the God who IS love) is interested in. How do I know? Because according to 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT), Love "...does not demand its own way..." Love never fails. Because love endures. When people aren't ready to accept love... love loves anyway. Not by shoving itself (HIMSELF) down anybody's throat... but simply by being there when its (HE'S) needed. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, right? The name of the Lord is Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. Whoever calls on LOVE will be saved. Because love is our savior. When we were sinners, and had nothing to offer God, He showed His love for us by giving His life for us and give His life to us. He didn't demand anything from us. The Law demanded perfection without being able to produce perfection. That's why Jesus nailed it to the cross--because it was contrary to us. Against us. All the Law could do was point out what was wrong with us. Jesus came to show us what is right with us. He became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He didn't say, "Get right or get left." He didn't say, "Shape up or ship out." He said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." He said, "I love you, I love you, I love you and I can't stop loving you!" He wanted us to have His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life, and He knew we couldn't earn it. So He gave it to us. HE finished the work so that we could enjoy the fruit of His labor. The fruit of the Spirit. Which is love. He did the work so that we could rest. And the Effort of Rest is to STOP with the works and labor (that don't work) and BELIEVE that the work is finished. Believe that we CAN rest. Rest... Holy Spirit directed activity. Rest... loving with the love that we are loved with. Receiving and releasing it. Receiving it BY releasing it!