A Prayer About Soul Rest
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:5-8
Gracious Father, nothing compares knowing you love me and knowing I no longer have to perform or pretend with you about anything. Today, in particular, I’m thankful for the freedom to pour out my heart to you. Because the gospel is true, I don’t have to measure or monitor my words with you. You don’t judge my prayers, you purify them as they meet you at the throne of grace. How I praise you for such a standing in grace!
Here’s what’s going on inside of me today. I feel a restlessness that I cannot really attach to any one thing. There’s a floating disquiet, a nibbling anxiousness, and a low-rumble dread that I’m sure could easily morph into something much bigger if I’m not connected to you in a fresh and vital way.
So, today, I echo back to you King David’s longing for soul rest, and I make his prayer mine.”Soul, find your rest in God alone! Don’t medicate with anything else. Don’t minimize or super-size your restlessness. Just go to Jesus. Go to Jesus right now!”
Indeed, Jesus, I don’t want to waste energy on the “paralysis of analysis”; I don’t want to spend time in “navel gazing” today; I don’t want to treat my soul like an onion to be peeled, layer by layer. Whatever is repent-able or repairable, I’m sure you’ll show me. I just want you, Lord Jesus. I ask you to bring your centering presence, your stabilizing mercy, and your calming peace to my soul. Kiss my heart with the gospel and it will be enough.
I do trust you, Jesus, at this time, even as I want to trust you at all times. You are my rock, my salvation, my fortress, my honor and my refuge, and a whole, whole lot more King David didn’t mention in this Psalm! So very Amen, I pray today, with hope and anticipation.
