HARD OR LESS HARD?

Somewhere there’s a line that goes like this – You can do this the easy way, or you can do it the hard way. How do you want to do it?

How difficult do you want to make it for yourself? God has an answer for you. Consider these definitions:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." Isaiah 30:15 NIV

Repentance: “The action of repenting; sincere regret or remorse.” Repentance is not only sorrow or regret for what you have done, but also turning away from the wrong, changing your way of thinking about it, and putting it out of your life, leaving it behind. If you repent but don’t change the behavior, it is not true repentance.

Rest: “To cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself or recover strength.” Rest means to cease working toward whatever you are striving for. It means to stop striving, to stop working. I like the picture of resting in Jesus’ arms.

Salvation: “preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss, deliverance from sin and its consequences.” Salvation is being saved from sinning and sinful behaviors, from bad and inappropriate choices that harm you or another. It is being rescued from your own sinful nature that can cause severe emotional distress in your heart and mind.

Quietness: “absence of noise or bustle, calm, abstaining from speech.” Be still and know that HE is God, not you, not your minister, your husband, your bestie. Silence yourself and all data input and seek God’s face. Stop talking in your own ear.

Trust: “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.” Trust God to be with you in every situation when you ask Him to help you and have faith that God is doing for you what you cannot do yourself. Put your faith in the faithfulness of God, not in your own faithfulness.

Strength. When you feel weak, you can find strength in God’s provisions and care. Do you want to be strong? You might succeed for a bit in your own strength, but only the Lord's strength can sustain you long term. Here’s your strength – repent, rest, be quiet and trust.

On the other hand, if you decide you don’t need God and you can help yourself just fine, here’s what the next verses say about what happens:

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

• You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore, you will flee!

• You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’ Therefore, your pursuers will be swift!"

And yet, God goes on and says in Verse 18 - "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"

This is from the reading in Isaiah 30: 15-16, 18.

I don't know about you, but I am going to choose the easy way. I've wasted too much time and effort trying my way, the hard way.

Repent, change your ways.

Be quiet and hear God’s plan for you.

Rest and gain strength.

Wait – and be blessed!

Have faith in God’s faithfulness.