A Prayer for Rest by Jocelyn Faire

  Thou has made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.

Augustine of Hippo

                         

When I signed up for this rest-focused blog, I had something else in mind. This prayer came out of a very busy summer month, catching a nasty cold and preparing for a step-son's wedding.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him ...

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.    

(From Psalm 62 NIV)

A Prayer for Rest:

Dear God,

I'm feeling kind of weary ...

I don't mean to complain, but I need to pour out my heart somewhere ...

I'm tired, weary and heavy laden,

weary of running after things, headlines, new passwords for technology.

Tired of learning new operating systems—can't anything stay the same?

I'm tired of the pressure to perform, the need to be productive,

I'm tired of being tired and feeling past my best before date.

Let me find my rest in thee.

I see exhaustion in so many eyes, drooped shoulders from stress and lack of sleep  

and the struggle to keep on top of things ... do these things really matter that much?

I'm tired of witnessing missionary zeal burn itself out with good deeds

while the darkness closes in.

I'm tired of criticism, cynicism, racism, apathy and the evening news.

I'm tired of Covid, the heat, the smoke, and the forest fires burning,

Is there a soul or tree left unscorched?

Let me find my rest in thee.

I'm tired of overfed bodies, starved souls; because we misread our need.

I'm tired of striving, when I know I should and long to be still.

Weary that there is always more to do, than time for it.

Dear God, I'm tired of grieving, I'm tired of good-byes,

tired of questions and doubts, of wondering if you know what's going on down here.

I'm tired of unanswered prayers and the need to cover for you.

Tired of being told I should be grateful—I know I should be, and I am grateful!

Let me find my rest in thee.

Sometimes I wonder if you know what's going on down here.

Can we sit down and have a good chat?

I'm tired of feeling that I'm in a one-sided conversation in my head.

I don't think I'm alone God ... Did you mean it when you said

we should come to you when we're heavy laden and in need of rest?

If so, why are we struggling to find you and the rest?

The world and your people are in need of a serious sabbatical.

Let us find our rest in thee.

I often think of my daughter and her family, working overseas, seeing her exhaustion; the bone-tired weariness built over years that is helped but not resolved by a vacation. I know there are seasons of weariness, they too shall pass as we are refreshed in spirit.

A response verse to the prayer:

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11 NIV