Resting, Waiting, Abiding…

"Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him" - Psalm 37:7

I was reading this morning and came across Psalm 37. Verse 7 starts with rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. I began to think about what it means to “rest”…to be renewed, take comfort, relax without worry, being still in order to gain new energy and strength. Other definitions of rest I found were: freedom from activity; to be free from anxiety or disturbance; to remain confident. And, to me, to wait for the Lord, means not getting ahead of Him, but instead to wait on His timing, to let Him lead. To wait for someone means to be there, to stand ready in expectation for someone to do something, not to run off and do your own thing while they are getting ready, but to be by the door, ready for their arrival. Wait defined: to stay in place in expectation of, to remain stationary in readiness or expectation, to look forward expectantly, to be ready and available. Neither resting nor waiting mean running, busying, avoiding…but why is it so hard for me to rest and wait when that is what I need, what I must have for life.

The words in this verse reminded me of these verses in John 15 where Jesus explains that in order for us to truly live, we must abide in Him.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

-John 15: 4-11

Jesus is the source of life. So often I try to find my source of life in other things…though I do not think this is something I do intentionally. I think rather most times I decide one morning in a big rush, not to take time to spend with the Lord…and one day turns into another until finally, I look up and realize I do not know where I am or how I got there, but I know one thing is for sure, I feel empty and alone and dissatisfied. I have not been abiding. Today, I was encouraged to spend more time resting, waiting, abiding…