Martha Olawale

“For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” Isaiah 30:15

At the time I’m writing this, I am feeling overwhelmed. I can’t say why or what the cause is, but my heart longs for that quiet space where the rhythm lines up with God. Do I have too much on my life’s plate, or am I doing too much too soon? I don’t know. I’ve committed my life to God’s hands and ask that He use me however He deems fit, but I know there are times I step into something believing it would grow me, but it ends up draining me.

I’ve had similar experiences many times before and found that for my rest to be restored, I have to take a step back to sit at Christ’s feet and allow Him to walk me through the things I need to let go of and the things I need to embrace. It’s a place where trust takes over, pushing my worries and unrest out of the room to make way for Christ to lead. There, my rest is restored, and my burden is eased. It doesn’t happen with the snap of a finger but with each puzzle piece moved to its rightful place.

There are seasons when we get into trouble because we step into too much and end up not getting anything but weariness. I have realized that it’s not how many things you accomplish but how well you do the things God commits in your hands. God knows our capabilities, and for us to succeed at anything, we must ask Him before we step into any situation. Isaiah 30:15 says, “In returning and rest.” Even when you have a million things tugging on your shoulders, you must mind the one thing that truly matters: sit at Christ’s feet to ask questions and be refreshed before you jump on the next wagon.

I continue to grow in quietness, a place where Christ is my sole source because, there, I find rest. We can miss many important details about our life’s assignments if we don’t learn how to grow in quietness. Just because something is louder does not mean it’s the right path. God walks us through seasons of quietness in different areas of our lives to grow us because although He speaks in a still, small voice, He wants His words to be the loudest in our hearts. How we respond to His leading determines what we get out of life, and how we train our mind’s ears determines how clearly we hear Him.