When rest takes work...

''I don't want to sleep like a baby. I just want to sleep like my husband.'' 

In this new stage of life as a Mama to a precious 8-week old boy, I had to laugh at this quote I recently saw online.

Sometimes a baby's sleep isn't all that peaceful. Have you ever watched an infant do their best to not doze off? You know the symptoms when they're fighting tiredness - that whiny cry, eyelids drooping, arms fitfully flailing? It's funny sometimes how they refuse to rest.

As I was rocking Caleb the other day, wondering why it was so hard for him to simply sleep, I was reminded that often I'm no different. While physically falling alseep is usually easy for me, finding rest for my soul is sometimes a challenge.

I know that I need it, and I want to be able to accept Jesus' invitation to enter His rest and give my burden to Him (Matthew 11:28-30), but I fight against it. At times I choose to carry my own 'yoke' and work in my own strength. Even though I desire His rest, why does it sometimes seem so hard?

''There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest...'' (Hebrews 4:9-11).

Sometimes rest takes work. 

When Caleb refuses to sleep, he needs me. And though it can be exhausting to help him, it is always worth it since there really is nothing more precious than having a baby fall asleep in your arms. When he's restless, a soother can help calm him down a bit. But what really works in getting him to sleep is when I gently cup his face in my hand, turn him towards me, and let him hold my finger while I tenderly stroke his forehead.

Maybe the reason why rest is so difficult is that we're too distracted. Maybe like Caleb, we have trouble concentrating on the One holding us and instead choose to look around, afraid we'll miss out on something. We toss and turn in our own strength, thinking we know what's best for us and wanting to have everything under control.

But the key to finding rest is to give in...to surrender. To give up the fight and cuddle into our heavenly Papa.

Maybe you're familiar with this old chorus:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Jesus is offering us His hand to hold, whispering gently, 'look at me.' When we gaze at Him, the things of this world - our to-do-lists, problems, questions, pain - are suddenly not as overwhelming. 

As that verse from Hebrews says, rest means taking a break from our own works. Pushing pause on our programs, slowing down our schedules, stopping our striving. 

Rest is not always easy, but it's worth the effort.