What are you turning to for rest?

After nearly a year of on-again, off-again quarantine life, the Lord revealed a struggle going on in my heart so clever, I barely even noticed it was happening.

Sunday mornings were precious to me, spent in my Father’s house with our church family. When our church first closed, I felt the void deeply, eagerly tuning in each week to our Pastor’s online service.

But as the weeks passed by, I tuned in less and less. Why did I have to watch at a certain time when it is available all week long? Why should I tune into our Pastor specifically when there are so many good services crowding the internet? Sundays began to look like any other day.

Then Hubby began traveling for work again, my days quickly turned chaotic; parenting solo, homeschooling, and caring for a new puppy. My Bible sat for longer periods, untouched on the table as an unrelenting tide of daily duties left me feeling spent; this girl desperately needed an escape - to rest.

Isn’t that what TV is for? I sat down to watch a show that came recommended by many friends. It took only two episodes to get hooked and just a few days to watch both seasons - twenty episodes.

Every episode caused me to overlook (but still see) all kinds of immorality.

The amount of emotional drinking done by the characters was deeply concerning.

They took the precious name of my Lord and Savior in vain so many times, I lost count.

Every episode was peppered with “Thou shalt nots” and I was ignoring important “Thou shalts” for what?! To watch a very complicated love story unfold between the two main characters.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8-9

God wants us to stay faithful, focused on His love.

God convicted me years ago to carefully shield my eyes and guard my heart from media content that is not pleasing to Him. Yet suddenly, I found myself thinking about these characters throughout the day and longing for things that I know only God can truly fulfill for me.

My quest for rest only increased my restlessness.

The trap had been set and I was moving towards the bait. Tiny steps that were barely noticeable to me but for the discernment of the Holy Spirit calling me back to…

 Real life. Real people. Real love.

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” Mark 6:31-32

Withdrawing to a quiet place with our Father produces restfulness.

Mama, like me, have you pursued rest in ways you know our Father does not approve?

I did, to the point that I wasn’t as alert to the subtle temptations that still reach us within the walls of our own homes. The sneaky ones: seemingly harmless, somewhat hidden as we scroll, watch, and listen.

Jesus demonstrated a need for rest throughout the Gospels and now we set the example for our children. Overwhelm calls for quiet, busyness calls for rest, not immoral entertainment that so cleverly dulls our thoughts and focus.

Fifteen hours of time is precious; better spent with our Father, better spent feeding His sheep, better spent on our calling – and motherhood itself is a joyful but consuming calling.

Fellowship. Communion. Spending time in prayer. Reading God’s word are more important now than ever. Whatever Sunday morning looks like for us right now; in person at Church or at home in our pajamas, let’s not get too comfortable because the enemy is on the prowl.

Remember how much God loves you. Only His perfect, uncomplicated love offers healing of the past, joy in the moment and hope for the future.

In Him, we truly find rest.

XO, Heidi Jones