By Sharon E. Wilkerson-Gilpin

Matthew 11:28 NIV reads as follows:  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Constantly moving on errands, working overtime to make ends meet, striving to climb the corporate ladder, caring for an aging parent, driving your kids to their sporting events, eating on the go, upgrading to a larger home–Does this sound familiar to you?  Yes, many of us can relate to this busy lifestyle.  However, God has given us an invitation to slow down and rest in His goodness.

When I was a child, l found a haven for renewal and rest at a nearby lake.  I loved to go to the lake, sit on a blanket, bask in the warm sun, marvel at the sparkling water, and smell the fragrant flowers.  Starting at age 12, that was my quiet place to go to spark my creativity for writing inspirational poetry.  After leaving the lake, I always felt rested, renewed, and inspired to pursue my dream of becoming an author, journalist and social services worker.  That quiet place reminded me of Jesus’ invitation to get rest:  “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 NIV.  In essence, I learned the value of finding a quiet place outdoors to rest and appreciate God’s goodness and His beautiful creations!

Where is your quiet place?  Perhaps, it’s at your dining room table in the early morning where you pray and meditate on God’s word before any one else wakes up, or maybe it’s outside in the morning sun while you’re sitting on the porch listening to the birds sing.  It doesn’t matter exactly where your quiet place is.  What matters is taking time every day to thank God for his goodness and His blessings in our lives!  Contentment comes when we rest in the goodness of God in our quiet place!

Finally, learning to be content can help us to embrace and cherish those quiet, peaceful moments in life! When we slow down and reflect on all of our blessings each day, we can be grateful for what we have and use it to the glory of God. Why not slow down today and accept our Lord Jesus’ invitation to get some rest?