A Prayer for Rest
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“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” Augustine of Hippo
Recently a friend of mine shared how she has such a difficult time slowing down long enough to rest. She feels like she rarely sits still and when she does, she is either on her phone or tablet or reading a book. Her admission to this concern opened up a great conversation between the two of us about the need for rest.
I think the older I get, the more I understand the importance of true stillness. I’m a lot like my friend in some ways, but I’ve made a few changes since last fall when I began to understand how much I needed to develop a little more margin in my schedule.
One of the ways I’ve found to make more room for rest is to pray for it. (If you’ve been around here long, you knew that was coming, didn’t you?) Today I’m sharing A Prayer for Rest. If you’re one who has a hard time slowing down, then know that God can give you those moments of grace in order to take that necessary breather.
A Prayer for Rest
Dear Father,
This world seems to move faster and faster
And I’m trying to keep up.
But God, in the whirlwind,
Instead, I get caught up.
Like an unbeatable force, it pulls me in
But I know eventually, I cannot win.
I must learn to rest in your perfect peace
And though good, let all endeavors cease.
Oh that my feet would mimic your pace.
So your joy would be set on my face.
Help me, Jesus, to slow down when you would.
Help me, Lord, to rest as I should.
Thank you for loving me just as I am;
Thank you that rest is part of your plan.
Amen.
Have a terrific Tuesday!
Rachel
I so badly want to win a good bible,a journal,a devotional…something. I certainly can’t buy it for myself. We have a disabled(paraplegic) son who we care for 24-7.Nobody is working,and hubby is also disabled,so we have literally NO MONEY. I would love to go to a women’s retreat,a conference,anywhere I can have ME time. The only ME time I get now is when I run to check the mail,or stop by the store for 10 min. Your blogs/emails (along with a few other Godly women) are what keeps me trekking on. It gets me through every second,of every day. Please keep me apprised of any more contests. Like I said,I don’t leave the house for work,school,church,etc. Just for 5-10 min. for quick errands. God bless you for what you do.
~Lisa~
I am using a prayer app. I forget who and what to pray for and become overwhelmed. A prayer journal keeps things organized for me.
I’ve used a prayer journal once before….it helped me to get closer to God as well as see the progress I made as I looked back through it. The change in my prayers was so awesome to see! I went from sad and selfish to praying with authority and being selfless. This would deffinetly be a prize!!!
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful prayer and what looks like a beautiful prayer journal! Journaling is such a great way to organize thoughts and intentions.
I need to be more organized in prayer lists because I forget a lot and am easily distracted. (Adhd) So that would be how I would use a journal such as this.
I am not real good at being steady with a journal but when I do I like to keep up with prayer request from family and friends . I like to write praises of blessings and prayers answered
I’ve never actually used a prayer journal before, but definitely sounds like something I’d be interested in .
I would love to win this prayer journal. I’ve never actually used one so this would be a great way to start doing so!!
Love this prayer journal. What a wonderful way to have a deeper relationship with God.
what a beautiful prize, I would love to win this as it would help me with learning to pray.
I have only recently welcomed Jesus Christ into my life and, finding it difficult to find a way of praying, I believe a prayer journal would help me immensely in seeing the benefits of praying and learning how. At this early stage I’m at praying doesn’t come naturally although with time and with the help of a prayer journal I know it will eventually feel so natural to do so.
Thank you for offering such a helpful and beautiful prize, I’m sure whoever wins this will treasure it forever, as I know I would.
I journal at least a little most mornings, and other times throughout the day. Sometimes it may be one line, other times a few pages. Sometimes more formal; sometimes very loose. Whatever comes to mind. I love to look back and relive those days and what God has been doing.
What a beautiful prayer Rachel! Yes, as I get older I crave rest but not so much just sleep but that stillness that you enter into and spend time in communion with God. Thank you for the prayer and for the giveaway. Hope your Easter was wonderful!
I love your prayers! I look forward to them each day. I have started a prayer journal. It helps me focus my thoughts and I look back and see where God has answered and where I need to continue to pray. Or even to change how I pray in that circumstance. I would love this
I love a prayer journal for keeping focus during quiet times and reminding myself of the Lord’s faithfulness, how He hears when we call
I would like to stat a prayer journal and winning this would be awesome!
To record my prayers, other people’s requests, answers, God talking to me, messages from sermons, shows, direction, scripture that is speaking to me. It’s been a while since I have used a prayer journal. This is a good idea again, it will keep me on topic, and enable me to see more answers, and prompt me to pray more faithfully!
I used to have a prayer journal where I would just write down the needs from our prayer chain and pray for them every day. As the prayers were answered, I’d say a prayer of thanks, and then cross them off the list.
thank you for sharing this book! it is what ive been looking for!
I don’t have a prayer journal. This would be very helpful.
I like to write prayers out in my journal and then look back and see how God answers it. It helps me remember His blessings. I don’t do it as often as I should. This journal will help me to it more regularly.
I haven’t ever had a prayer journal and thought this wold be a great way to get started. I feel God encouraging me in this area, but I just have been reading how and what others do.
I currently have a college ruled notebook by my bedside that I write in, add prayer requests, thoughts that come to mind, prayers, scripture passages, letters to God and loved ones that have passed away…..
I’ve never owned a Prayer Journal or seen one and I would be interested and/or curious to see how much more my writing would benefit from having one.
Would love this journal prayer journal God speaks to me alot, through just writing down, and becomes my secret closet of prayer. My heart to journal with God.
I have recently started journaling & praying more. I would love to explore this prayer journal & see how I can include it into my life! I want to be closer to God, to hear the Holy Spirit in my life!
I haven’t started a prayer journal yet but have been going through your guides and printables and I am very excited to get started. I am on your website on a daily basis; thank you for sharing your insights and for all the encouragement!
My word for 2015 is ‘rest’. I am not succeeding at this. I feel as though I fluctuate between busy and lazy and don’t know how to rest.
prayer journals are wonderful for reflection, to see where I’ve been, how God has worked in my life answering prayers and to keep me focused.
Just the prayer I needed for today! Thank you for the wonderful reminder to SLOW DOWN!
I want to learn how to be still and learn to pray. I feel like I rush through my time with God as I always feel like I have too much to do. I want to learn how to slow down and pay more attention to Him so I don’t miss out on His blessings.
I use my prayer journal daily for prayer requests from friends and family/help me remember to pray and why I am praying for them. this journal sounds so neat!!
Thanks for sharing that prayer about finding rest in God when things are going in the wrong direction. “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken (Psalm 55:22).”
I use a prayer journal to keep me focused on actual prayers instead of the general “Please Help Me”.
I love and use a prayer journal. When I read a scripture and it is something that is going on in my life now,I write it in my journal. I write prayers in my journal.
I love writing down my prayers and going back through to see how God worked in those different situations!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and resources with us!
I haven’t consistently used a prayer journal, and I need to start back. In the past I have used it to write down my prayers to keep me focused. I also use one when I am involved in a bible study. I really need to get still and put my focus more on God!
How do you use a prayer journal?
I would use it for a guide to help me organize my thoughts when praying. I then can go back and look at what I prayed at that time
I use my prayer journal for prayers and to write down scriptures or readings that have meant a lot to me and that I do not want to forget.
I usually use a prayer journal to record other’s prayer requests, praise reports and favorite quotes/Bible verses.
Sounds like a wonderful journal!!
I would love something like this prayer journal. I am sporadic with keeping a prayer journal, but something like this looks like it would help me focus better. I truly enjoy reading your blog and story, you are very encouraging === thank you.
Writing down prayers and thoughts is a good way to be connected to it and review what has happened in your seasons as a reminder of His Grace and prayers answered.
I’m thankful for your daily words of encouragement!
I would love to win the prayer journal as I have been doing this for some time now in recording my prayers. However I would love to increase my thoughts to be ‘more “quiet and still” as I pray to the Lord.