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Inner Rest

 If you wake me each morning with the sound of your loving voice, I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in you. Point out the road I must travel; I’m all ears, all eyes before you. Save me from my enemies, God—you’re my only hope! Teach me how to live to please you, because you’re my God. Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland. (Psalm 143:8-10)

The sound of God's voice - do you know what that is? Do you recognize his still small voice? When we learn to recognize God's voice, there is a certain sense of peace that settles into our hearts. We begin to 'operate' on a different level because we know his guidance will establish our path. All God asks of each of us is that we be 'all ears' when it comes to his voice, and 'closed ears' when it comes to listening to the voice of temptation or evil. 

God's greatest delight is for us to desire to live in a manner that pleases him - allowing him to help us through difficult moments when we might not even recognize that we are being tempted to say or do something that wouldn't bring him honor. In turn, it doesn't bring us any honor, either. The simplest prayer for us to lift to his ears is the one that asks him to teach us how to live well - it can also be the hardest one to utter.

If we begin to pray that prayer on a regular basis, imagine what God could do in our lives. We might just see doors that have been tightly shut to us open up and unseen pathways become clear. There is just something about God being invited to show us where to step, how to take those steps, and when we should move forward that delights his heart. If we struggle with finding true 'rest' in our lives, it could be that we haven't really allowed God to become our 'resting place'. 

Trust is established where there is open and honest communication. If we lack trust in God, perhaps it can begin to be established by us opening up our hearts, sharing our inner struggles, and then just listening. As we await his guidance, we might just begin to feel the release that leads to that 'inner rest'. Just sayin!

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