Ep 18: Entering God's Rest
Welcome back for season two! This week on the podcast, we are talking about rest. In the eyes of a world that worships the hustle, rest is often equated with laziness. In the eyes of God, however, rest equates with spiritual intimacy. Rest is holy, right, and good! Sister, let's learn not only to appreciate rest but to embrace the rest that is ours in Christ.
Welcome to Season Two!
Hello, hello! Welcome to season 2 episode 1 of the Daughter of Delight podcast! Did you miss me? I without a doubt missed you and I am so glad to be back with you today! If you are new to the show, let me take a second to introduce myself! My name is Elle Cardel and I am the founder of Daughter of Delight, a global online women’s ministry that exists to equip everyday women of faith with Gospel-centered resources, like this podcast, in order to encourage and challenge them in their understanding of God’s Word. I am deeply passionate about making more of Christ! I live in a small town about 50 minutes outside of Nashville, TN, with my best friend Michael, our lab-mix Tucker and our foster son, Mac. A few fun facts for you...I have a twin brother, iced oatmeal lattes are my jam and one day I want to own pygmy goats. Specifically, a black and white one named Jedediah. And trust me, when this finally happens, you will hear about it- I promise.Anyway, I am so happy to be back with you for season two! Podcasting has quickly turned into one of my most favorite ways to serve you, and I just cannot wait to witness the continued unfolding of this journey with you!
The Need for Rest
I contemplated for a few weeks whether or not I should actually take a break between seasons because I didn’t want to “get behind” per say. Ironically enough, however, taking a break reminded me of my need to be diligent in my pursuit of resting in Christ. I am constantly craving to sit down at my computer to work and create things that are honoring to the Lord and helpful to the women of faith who make up the Daughter of Delight community, but if I do not take the time to truly rest then I am doing more harm than I am good. And that’s just the fact of the matter. Perhaps you can relate to this as well.That being said, today we are going to be talking about the biblical call to rest and what it looks like to enter into the rest God offers His children. Before we get started, though, I want to share a few things with you!
General Updates
Fostering
If you have been tuning in to the podcast for a while chances are you know that my husband Michael and I are foster parents. This journey has absolutely rocked my world- in beautiful but hard ways. We have had a 16-year-old boy for almost two months now and, what we thought--what we were told--would be temporary may actually become more of a permanent placement. I am not legally allowed to disclose his name, but I am allowed to use nicknames- so, for these purposes, we will call our 16-year-old Mac. Because he LOVES him some mac and cheese! We will not find out the status of whether or not Mac is staying or going until mid-August, so in the meantime, if you could be praying for peace and comfort to reign within the walls of our home and our hearts, that would be amazing and I would be so appreciative. A lot of people do not step into the foster care world because they are afraid of putting their hearts on the line. They’re afraid of getting too attached. But getting too attached, in my personal opinion at least, is the point.
#Gettooattached
These kids needs LOVE. And, if I’m putting boundaries between my heart and theirs in order to protect myself from getting hurt, I am by no means demonstrating the love of Christ that lives in me. The love of Christ that this world and our foster youth so desperately need. So yeah, I’ve gotten too attached. But if you knew Mac, you’d know why. He’s such a delight in our home, but I trust God’s plan for him no matter the outcome.
Partnerships
The next update I want to share with you is in regards to a few partnerships with other ministries I have been working on! These are ministries that have impacted my husband and I in our faith walk and ministries that we are tangibly a part of. And they are Compassion International and Christian Health Care Ministries. I wanted to put this on your radar because you will be hearing about them- whether it’s through the podcast or on Instagram. I cannot wait to share more about them with you!
Rooted
Finally, by the time this episode airs, my FREE new resource will be out in the world! It’s called Rooted and it’s a 5-day email series that is JAM-PACKED- I mean jam-packed- with information and tangible tools that will teach you how to plant proper roots in the word of God and how to water those roots well. If you find it hard to show up in the Word daily or to understand Scripture and how it applies to you, Rooted is for you! You can find the link to sign up in the show notes to this episode!
Featured Review of the Week
Those are all the announcements I have for you today, so let’s go ahead and transition into the review of the week. I am not sure what the name of the sister who left this review is, but you know who you are! Here is what she said:“I love this podcast! I’m grateful a friend shared it with me. A couple of weeks ago I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and this podcast has helped me so much. I’ve listened to almost every episode this past week and it keeps me motivated to continue learning the word of God. This is a great resource of Christian women. Keep it up, Elle!” This is one of the most encouraging reviews ever. Sis, I am praising God for your new life in Christ! Pop the confetti! Congrats! I feel so incredibly honored that He is using this podcast to grow you in your newfound walk with Him. That is AMAZING and I am SO glad you are here!
Let's Dive In
Okay, now it’s time to dive on into the meat of today’s episode. The Lord used my break from the podcast to instill the life-giving truth and biblical call to enter into His rest and I SO needed it. My soul feels refreshed. I’m convicted and convinced that I’m not the only one who needs this reminder. So, what better way to kick off season two than to do so by talking about our need for the rest we have available to us Christ.
The Struggle to Rest is Real
The struggle to rest in this fast-paced world is real, and I am no exception to this difficult reality. I have succumbed and still succumb to the ways of this world and the desire to care for my flesh more than my soul according to how the world sees fit. We were created to do things in a different light, sis. His light.Let me give you an example of what I mean by this. This is a hard story to tell because--well, honestly--it’s embarrassing, but it’s part of my story and I pray that God would use it to encourage you--to beckon you--into His rest.
A Personal Example
It happened a little over two years ago now, but I remember it clear as day. I always will. My husband, Michael, and I had just wrapped up dinner with my family and were headed home when he looked at me and said, "I want my wife back." His words stung as soon as they left his lips, but I needed to hear them.
Extreme Burnout
For months, I had been living from a place of extreme burnout. It resulted in no good thing. Not only did it cause me to neglect my marriage along the way, but the very thing I needed in order to be spiritually, physically, and emotionally healthy as well: soul care with my Creator. My life looked a lot like eat, shower, sleep, repeat. Seriously. I was getting up at 5:30 every morning to be at work by 7:00 and I wasn’t getting home in the evening until 6:00 or later. It really was exhausting and I was often in a bad mood with my husband because I was so on edge. I was miserable, but refused to admit it most days. Once I considered Michael's request, we spent the days to follow talking about what it would look like for me and what it would take to stop working so much. I wish I could tell you I was all for his idea from the get-go, but if I am being completely honest with you it took a while for me to come around. We had to have this conversation multiple times before any sort of action followed.
Blinded By Pride
Here’s why that was: I prided myself on being the breadwinner. On wearing as many hats as I possibly could. I thought that I was killing it with as many hats as I was wearing. I was nannying 60 hours a week, managing social media for a boutique 10 hours a week and working as the website and social media manager for a local health magazine 10 hours a week as well. That is in addition to all of my Daughter of Delight tasks, so I was easily working 85-90 hours a week all-in-all. I’m sure I even hit the 100 mark at times. And there are only 168 hours in a week. Now, I may not have become physically ill from all of these things--in fact, I’m completely surprised I didn’t--but I was mentally and spiritually ill. I had no time for anything except my work responsibilities. Because of that, everything and everyone else felt like a burden. And rest was completely out of the question.
On the Defense
When Michael initially told me he needed his wife back, I immediately jumped to defend my career choices. Instead of hearing his words for what he genuinely intended them as--a husband who missed his wife and wanted more time with her--I allowed myself to believe the lie that he didn't appreciate all that I had contributed toward the financial well-being of our marriage. It crushed me for a hot second until the Spirit softened my heart.
Conviction
When I took a moment to reflect on the last 14 months of my life, I saw a lack of presence in our marriage I had allowed my work life to replace. I saw a roadblock in my relationship with God because I had been so distracted by the tempting and temporary treasures of this world instead of the invaluable need to enter into His rest and spend time being still before Him. Conviction really set in at this point, to say the least. And so did all of the tears and “I’m so sorry’s”. I had lost myself along the way. So, to tell you I'm grateful that Michael took the time to look in my eyes and call this out of me in order to speak life in to me means more than words can say. The Lord used him to open my eyes and urge me back into where I belonged. Michael’s protection of our covenant and leadership within it were the very things that opened my eyes and helped me see that it was time to make some very necessary changes.
Refinement & Sanctification
The season to follow would be one of soul-care and growing in my relationship with the Lord and my husband. Rightfully so. My priorities had been messed up for far too long at this point. It was a season of refinement and sanctification, and it was hard. But it was needed and so very fruitful. And I’m grateful for all that God did in my heart and in my relationship with Michael during this time.
Be Encouraged
I wanted to share this story with you as a means to encourage you to be diligent in your pursuit of rest in Christ. If we are not intentional in how we go about these things, it can so easily be put on the backburner. We truly cannot thrive if this is the case. Let the story I just shared with you serve as proof of this.
Even God Rested
Sister, God is the only One who offers the rest our restless hearts need. Rest is biblical and it is beautiful. Even God rested! Genesis 2:2 tells us, “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done” (ESV).Now, when we take the time to imagine God resting in light of who He is, we may find ourselves asking why the all-powerful, all-knowing God of the universe would need to rest.Here’s the kicker, though: the Hebrew word for rest here in Genesis 2:2 is shabat, which means to cease or to stop.
God Didn't Need to Rest
God didn’t need to rest. He chose to rest. To purposefully stop creating. It’s not because He was tired. It was because He had finished creating.Later on, God would declare laws through Moses to the Israelites, also known as The Law of Moses, and one of the laws taught there was to be no work at all on the seventh day (that is, Saturday). Since God stopped working on the Shabbat--more commonly known as Sabbath--the Israelites were to do the same. Sabbath was a sign of the Mosaic covenant. Now, however, the Mosaic covenant and the Sabbath as the covenant sign are no longer applicable now that the new covenant of Jesus Christ has come. You see, the purpose of the covenants and the covenantal signs that we have in the Old Testament--like the Sabbath--is to point us to the Davidic King, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Should Today's Christians Uphold the Sabbath?
So, if you are wondering whether or not modern Christians are to still keep the Sabbath, the answer is no. The rules of Sabbath no longer apply to us because of Christ, but I would argue that the concept of rest that comes from Sabbath-ing absolutely does. I believe it is quite wise and also biblical for believers to rest. Now, contrary to the Sabbath, the New Testament does not specify when we should rest or how long our resting periods should last- nor is it necessary for salvation. But that doesn’t mean that rest is not important. I believe the spiritual practice of learning how to rest in Christ is one of the most important and also one of the most rewarding things we can and should do. Resting shouldn’t be hard work, but in today’s fast-paced world, it can certainly seem that way. Our world worships the hustle. And when we get caught up in it, rest is the last thing we think we need. I have fallen into this trap of a lie more often than I would like to admit. And chances are you have, too. So I want to challenge us to be better. Together.
Rest is An Act of Worship
The best way for us to do this is to follow the example of Christ. You see, Jesus doesn’t just offer us rest. He shows us how to do it! He reminds us that rest is an act of worship, not a sign of being a lazy bum. Jesus demonstrates examples of spiritual, physical, and mental rest for us to be encouraged by. Let’s take a look at what they are!
Spiritual Example of Rest
First up, spiritual. Jesus pulled away to sit in solitude and silence with God. Luke 5:16 tells us, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (NIV). His relationship with His Father--our Father--is what gifted Him with the strength, wisdom, compassion, love, and power that we see portrayed in the Gospels. It’s how He dealt with heavy emotions and prepared for His death on the cross. Sis, this relationship was His top priority. May we be encouraged to pursue the presence and heart of God in such a way that demonstrates our desire to prioritize Him above and in all things.
Mark 5:35-41
Our physical and mental examples come to us from Mark 5:35-41:35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (ESV)
Mental Example of Rest
Jesus was aware of His mental capacity. He knew there were people to be healed, demons to cast out and more, yet he was not afraid to pull away from the crowds that called out for Him. He literally got into the boat with His disciples with a desire to go away from the multitudes across to the other side. Jesus was able to do this as well as He did as a result of His relationship with God. Jesus was clear on the role God had given Him, which is why He didn’t feel guilty as a result of drawing away. May the same be true for us as well. May we make it a priority to focus on pleasing and honoring God’s desires for us--His children--rather than being driven by the desires and demands of man.
Physical Example of Rest
And last but not least, Jesus practiced physical rest. The story we just read in Mark 5 cracks me up. I often wonder how Jesus was able to sleep on a boat that was wrestling with the waves in the midst of a raging storm. Yet, somehow He was snoozing. Not only that, but when the disciples woke him up he was unapologetic about his naptime, too. I love that. And, I don’t know about you, but it really challenges me to be more diligent in my pursuit of rest as a result of my faith in Him.
In Christ, We Find the Rest We Need
Jesus is the friend that never leaves. In Him, we find the rest our souls crave. He sums it up quite nicely in Matthew 11:28-30, which says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (ESV). Sister, let this glorious and rest-filled truth wash over you today!To wrap things up, I want to share three tangible ways that you can start practicing healthy rhythms of rest in your life right now. Whether you need to work on physical, mental or spiritual rest--or all of the above--I pray these would fire you up for the rest that waits for you in the loving arms of our good and gracious God!
Three Tangible Ways to Rest, Right Now
PHYSICAL
Commit to carving out time for weekly practices that feel refreshing. Rest isn’t about laying in bed all day. It certainly can be, if that’s what you want. But it can also be more than this. The point of rest is to return to God and who He made you to be. To point you to the God who is sovereign above all things. To beckon you into spiritual intimacy with your Father in Heaven. This could look like taking one day a week to spend the whole day unplugged from technology - whether you live by yourself or you want to give this a go with your family. Take a nap, spend a good chunk of the day praying and reading the Word, go for a hike, spend time with the people you love, cook a delicious meal, you get the picture. Do things that rejuvenate you and remind you of this precious gift of life that we have. Things that urge you to slow down so that you can taste and see the goodness of God. Whatever these things may, commit to them and do not neglect them.MENTAL Instead of getting so wound up in the toxic webs of this world, be intentional about living Kingdom-minded. Consider what the future holds upon the return of Jesus. Evil will be gone for good, every wrong will be made right, there will be no more sickness, and the peace, love, and joy of Christ will be the only things that rule and reign. As Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (ESV). We have a beautiful future to look forward to, Sister. Let us rejoice and be glad in the One who has come and will come again. SPIRITUALIn addition to reading God’s Word every day, I want to encourage you to memorize it as well. You might be wondering, “Now how does this in any way help me practice rest? That takes work!” Here’s how: Because it helps us to walk in truth- body, mind, and soul. We all have struggles and insecurities in this life. That’s just the fact of the matter. And, as someone who has battled anxiety essentially her entire life, it’s so nice to have God’s Word ingrained on my heart so that I can battle my anxious thoughts with His truth- even when my Bible is not near. God’s Word is infallible. My anxious thoughts, not so much. See where I’m going with this? Whether you struggle with anxiety like me or you battle perfectionism, identity, honestly--you name it--God’s truth can and will carry us through. The more we come to know His truth, the more we are changed by it. The more we recognize our true need for Him and find the rest we were created to enjoy by Him.
Remember
Remember - we were created to do things in a light much different and so much better than the world. We were created to do things in the light of God’s love for His own. So, be active in your pursuit of the rest that is found in Him, precious Sister.
Rest Because You Can
Do not believe the lie that rest equates to laziness. Believe the truth that the purpose of resting in your Creator is spiritual intimacy! Rest because you can. Rest because it is pleasing, right, and good in the eyes of God. Lean into your Heavenly Father and His heart for you today. Lean into His love and rest.
Thank You!
Thank you so much for tuning in to this week’s episode! I pray the Lord used it to bless and beckon you into His rest-filled embrace. If you did enjoy this episode, would you do me a favor and share it with someone in your life who could use an encouraging reminder to rest? Or, take a screenshot and add it to your IG story. Be sure to tag @daughterofdelight when you do so I can give you a special thank you!
Up Next
Next week, we will be starting a series on women of the Bible. I’m really excited for this and can’t wait to be encouraged and inspired alongside you. Talk with you next Wednesday!
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