Resting in the Lord
Part of learning to care for a person with a chronic illness understands resting in the Lord.
Living with a chronic illness can leave you tired and weary. I am talking about becoming bone tired. I am talking about the type of fatigue that a vacation or even a sabbatical cannot cure.
My Story
You may be like my late wife was when she was battling Stage Four Melanoma cancer. She found herself very tired.
The juggling of her schedule to visit the surgical oncologist, managing oncologist, dermatologist, thyroid doctor, blood work, biopsies, surgery, second surgery, PET scans, CAT scans, MRIs, days and weeks of radiation treatments, months of daily chemotherapy prescription medications, waiting for UPS or FedEx to deliver the refrigerated prescriptions from the special pharmacy, visits to the lymphedema therapist, seven days a week lymphedema therapy at home with the machine that sounds like Darth Vader with its sleeve that looks like Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street plus managing her work schedule to maintain health insurance had her exhausted.
Then there is her eating schedule. She had to take the meds and wait two hours to eat or eat and wait several hours before she could take the medications.
You get the picture and can relate. Like my wife, you get tired. You need to rest. You need God.
Bible Verse
Exodus 33:14 (KJV), “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
What the Verse Means
The Lord is telling Moses that he that is the Lord will personally go with him. He that is the Lord will give him rest. He is informing Moses that everything will be fine for him.
The application for the Believer in Christ is the Lord also personally goes with us, gives us rest, and promises that ultimately all will be fine.
Pray Using Scripture
- Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence going with us.
- Lord Jesus, thank you for the rest you give us.
- God, we ask to experience your rest again this day.
- Let us use Sundays as the day of rest and worship.
Responding to God’s Hope
- Remember a recent time you felt God’s presence. What were you doing? Recall how you felt his presence.
- Ask God to go with you and be with you today as you work and go about your caregiving responsibilities.
- Are you getting enough rest? Are you reading your Bible regularly? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you taking time to be still?
TWEETABLE
Resting in the Lord https://wp.me/p1F1No-2MW #caregiver #hope @jimmiekepler CLICK TO TWEET
Photo Source: Pixabay
This article is from the forthcoming book, “Hope for the Caregiver: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional Approach.”
I believe that. Real rest comes from walking with Jesus. Thanks for reminding me of this beautiful promise.
Are you getting enough rest? That’s the one that got me. I admit to being an overachiever and work-a-holic. I make the excuse, of course, that I’m doing the Lord’s work, but I know that sometimes he just wants me to sit at his feet (like Mary). Thanks for the needed reminder.
Rest—- sometimes hard to come by. Thank you for the great reminder of its importance.
Your questions at the end are compelling.
I appreciated your post. Thank you.