Restless? Shift in to neutral and seek God.
I recently read this quote by Pastor Willie George from Church on the Move in Tulsa, OK. “Restlessness is a time for seeking God– not for making sudden moves!”
When things are not going as planned, emotions are at an all time high or life and/or ministry is disappointing, it is easy to get restless. Restless is defined as: Unable to rest or relax as a result of anxiety or boredom. In other words, you are uneasy, fidgety, anxious, troubled and unquiet. We have all experienced feeling this way. How we respond to restlessness is very telling of our spiritual maturity.
The response of the flesh when we feel restless is to move. If you have ever experienced restless leg syndrome you will understand. When you get restlessness in your legs the immediate response is to move them. The problem is that it only gives a very short period of relief, then you feel restless again.
The word of God paints a good picture of what life is like for those who do not learn to quiet their soul.
What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 NIV
Warren Wiersbe makes the observation, “The ability to calm your soul and wait before God is one of the most difficult things in the Christian life. Our old nature is restless…the world around us is frantically in a hurry. But a restless heart usually leads to a reckless life.
How do we calm our soul? First we must recognize what is our soul and what is the leading of the spirit. Have you ever been convinced that you were to go in a certain directing…it feels right…you just know! And then, after making the decision you realize it was the wrong thing. Where did you miss it? The soul can be misread for the leading of the Spirit if we are not keeping the word of God before our eyes and in our heart.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “ For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” NLT
The word will divide the soul (mind, will and emotions) and expose what is OUR natural thinking and desires, dividing it from the spirit and God’s wisdom. We want God’s wisdom. Staying, when we feel like running, because he told us to, will lead to life and success. Responding to restlessness in any other way BUT seeking God will cause all sorts of problems. Then we find ourselves down the road wondering where we missed it and why life is less than blessed.
God had promised a son to Sarah and Abraham. Sarah grew restless and tried to make things happen in her own strength. Ishmael was born and although he was, like any other child, sweet and beautiful. He was not Gods promise fulfilled and Sarah began to grow bitter and resentful. It never turns out well to make decisions from a place of restlessness.
Psalms 46:10 tells us to “Be still and know that I am God…” Our job is to get still and then let him be God in our lives. Most of the time, being still is very much a job until we train ourselves to not respond to the restlessness.
I have made it a practice to shift into neutral when I feel restless. What’s that mean. Neutral for me means no decision making, no quick moves. I don’t do anything but get still. I force my emotions to quiet by reading the bible and worshiping the Lord. I purpose to set my eyes on Him.
I encourage you today, if you are feeling restless, shift into neutral. Make time to quiet your soul and seek the Lord. Don’t make any quick decisions. In fact, don’t move at all until you have divided your natural emotions from the leading of the Spirit of God. Seek His wisdom. He loves you and has promised that if you will seek Him, you will find Him.
Proverbs 8:14-17 (NKJV) “Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.”