Life is like a song. There are many notes, some high and some low, that will fill our lives. And our lives are not complete without these much needed rest notes. We often misinterpret the rest notes as our “defeat,” or the end of our story but we are not looking at the rest notes through the eyes of the composer. When the composer includes rest notes into the song, it is an act of kindness and a way to beautify the musical piece. He allows the song to have a “breakdown” or decrescendo only in order for to build it back up in a way that it never sounded or looked before.
If you’re in the middle of a season of undesired “rest” where it seems as if nothing is happening, it seems as if your efforts are not paying off, it seems as if what you’re doing is not making a positive difference — hold tight. Your song is not over. This is just a pause and if viewed correctly you will be ready for the next new exciting notes that will follow immediately after.
Here’s what I know to be true about “Rest” Notes in the Song of Our Life:
There is a Reason for the Rest: we may not know or understand why, but we can trust in faith that God has a reason for our season of rest. He has a purpose for our lives and for every season of our lives. Even if we don’t understand, we can draw nearer still to our loving Heavenly Father who sees us and understands.
God is making something beautiful out of us. He is the ultimate composer; making melodies more beautiful than we could ever dream.
Rest is the Preparation: we must not discount the importance of rest in the preparation process. We consider preparation to be the “doing, doing, doing” but there also must be those intervals of rest in order to complete the preparation process.
Peace in the Middle of the Rest: it’s amazing how sometimes when we have a period of undesired or unexpected rest (unemployment, waiting to hear back from a university, etc.) how we will throw ourselves into a bit of endless worry or anxiety. The worry and the anxiety never solves anything. It only makes things worse and it’s an act of disobedience because God has already told us in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” What a beautiful promise and remedy we have for our anxiety. We can be at peace even in the middle of the rest.
Something Big Always Follows the Rest: If you’re in the middle of a season of undesired “rest” and you’ve been seeking the Lord but it feels like nothing is happening or changing, hold tight. At any moment, the rest will come to an end and the musical notes will sound triumphantly unlike ever before.