Day 55 - Rest

"You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."

St. Augustine

Did you have a good weekend? Was it busy? Was it quiet? Or was it a mixture of the two? My weekend was filled with grandchildren – those weekends are never quiet, and never should be!

We often earmark weekends as a time of rest. And that rest comes in the shape of grandchildren, or a Parkrun, or a session in the garden, or your role at church, or shopping, or a bit of DIY, or a Pilgrimage, or 1001 other activities.

We always hope that rest will rejuvenate us. But sometimes rest is not an afternoon on the sofa watching a good film, it is one of those other activities. And being with grandchildren, or in the great outdoors, or being busy (along with a quiet nap!) can rejuvenate us, can touch our hearts in a special way, can lift our spirits.

Sometimes people have no rest from a challenging illness, or a soul-destroying job, or a toxic relationship. People become weary simply because of the treadmill of life.

Wherever you find yourself in life know that God cares for you intimately and completely. Whether you’re on the mountain top or in the valley – or somewhere in between – God walks with you.

Augustine's words, written in his Confessions, tell us that "rest" is not simply the absence of activity, but a state of being in which the soul finds its ultimate purpose and satisfaction in God. He believed that humans, created in God's image, are inherently drawn to seek a connection with the divine. This pursuit is not limited to the physical realm but encompasses the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of our being. According to Augustine, true rest is found in aligning ourselves with God's will and experiencing his love.

C.S. Lewis once said that if we find within ourselves a desire for which no earthly satisfaction can be found, perhaps this is evidence that we were made for another place altogether. Perhaps he was just echoing those words from centuries ago that Augustine used: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

Take a moment today to find a place of stillness and calm.

Gracious God, in the busyness of life, we seek your presence. Grant us the rest that our hearts long for.

Whether we are amidst the joys of family, the tasks of our daily work, or the trials that weigh heavy on our hearts, may your love rejuvenate us.

Guide us to moments of stillness and calm, where we can feel your presence and experience true rest.

In your name, we pray. Amen.

Neil Chappell