Rest In Him & Rest Well

I had this revelation back in September, 2012. How quickly do we forget life healing lessons?

As I was sitting and meditating after reading some of the Proverbs, the Lord began to minister to me. This is the first morning in a long time I really wasn’t tired. Even after my wife woke me up twice last night. She got up and went to the couch and I remember her words, ”My hormones are messed up and it has given me insomnia.” Then she came back to bed and waking me up around 3:30. Then she started snoring profusely.

Now, myself I get anywhere from 4-6 hours of sleep a night. But I'd still get up and work hard all day. Then I would come home full of energy. But now I can’t seem to stay awake in the afternoons. I wake up and feel like I need more sleep. However, not this morning.

I said all this because I first must look at myself and see where God is showing me lack in my life before I can talk to others about this. I feel like God is saying, "My people no longer think it is necessary to enter into my rest! They lie down and assume that when they wake up everything is going to be better. They have stopped downloading on me! There has been a disconnection because they will lie down and never communicate with me. All the going on of the day is still running around in their heads and instead of turning it over to me they think they can just sleep their mind clear. This has caused a lot of sleeplessness and restlessness that doesn’t have to be there. I said I would give sweet sleep to my beloved, but to be my beloved you have to trust me with everything. You have to turn your cares and worries over to me. You have to turn your triumphs and victories over to me. These things will stay in your natural mind and cause unrest, because your mind is too busy to sleep. There is no shut off switch to your brain. The overactive mind produces chemicals in your body. Or stops producing, depending on what your brain is communicating to your body as you sleep. When it is supposed to be resting but can’t because of clutter. This is where the chemical unbalance that the doctors keep talking about is coming from.

"I said in my Word, "Come to Me all those who labor and are heavy laden; and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you for it is light and easy to carry." I know there are times I press upon you in the night but these are my burdens and they won’t stress your body like your burdens do. Yes you may be tired when you wake back up if you go to sleep at all after I stirred you but it is a natural tiredness not one induced because of a tormented sleep pattern. My people have forgotten what it is to rest in me; to disconnect from the world and connect in me through the Spirit. They come home from a terrible day at work, they turn on the TV and watch all that mess till it’s past the time to go to bed. They complain about getting to bed to late and not enough time to sleep. Then they skip the prayer that is needed to enter into my perfect rest that would replenish the energy and chemicals needed to rest well and wake up with joy. This shows a lack of trust in my ability to take care of my people. Which has lulled them into a complacency that has dulled them in this area. They will even try to think that it isn’t all that deep, but it is.

"It has stricken my people with diabetes because their bodies don’t shut down enough to allow the insulin to produce correctly. It has caused heart attacks because the body is so overwhelmed with stress and tiredness that it puts a strain on the heart. It has caused strokes because the brain took too much blood to function that the over exerted heart couldn’t pump to the over worked brain. It has caused wrecks because their bodies didn’t have enough rest so they fell asleep at the wheel. It has caused arguments because my people come home grouchy from being overly tired and take it out on the ones they love instead of turning to me; the One who can fix it. It has even driven some of my people to insanity because their minds began to wander off into their own little world not being able to stay focused on reality.

"This is deep. I want to commune with my people and speak the things they need to hear but they are so tired that when they get in the quiet moment in my Spirit they will doze off and never hear what I want to say to them.

"This is deep. I implore you to enter into my rest before it is too late for you. You will either enter into my rest now or enter into your rest that will lead to premature death.

"Now it is this deep."

So, this is my (Roberts) prayer. Join with me in this.

Lord I repent (stop doing) now of not trusting you enough to turn my thoughts and desires over to you. I repent of not trusting you enough or thinking that you would not even care about the things of my day. Help me God to enter into your rest. Heal me Lord of the things that have been produced by my own pride and negligence by not entering into your rest. Lord, forgive me for not listening when my Pastor told me that I needed to pay attention to the lack of sleep in my life. Lord you know I pray all the time, but don’t let my prayers just words so I can say I’ve prayed. Let my words be filled with faith and trust in you, knowing that You do care and hear and that you will help us to enter in your rest. That you do care enough to listen as we download our needs and concerns to you. Lord, teach us to rehearse our victories as well.

Lord as we learn to enter into your rest, speak to us. Help us to slow down enough to hear and understand and apply what you are saying to us. God, I thank you that you have revealed your heart to me this morning and I will stand accountable to You in this area of my life. Help me, Oh God.

Thank you, Daddy, that you love me enough to warn me. Thank you, Father for giving me a Pastor that cares enough about me to send me a warning even if I didn’t listen. Thank You that your mercies are renewed every morning and made fresh with the rising of the Sun. I love you Daddy!!