I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Restlessness can be caused by a number of things in one’s life. How often unanswered prayer can leave us a little undone and if we are not careful we can be carried away in a direction that God never intended. At times the mundaneness of everyday living can cause one to become restless. We look and concentrate on the here and now instead of taking heed of Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” An extended illness can leave one restless in their spirit. We can dig ourselves into a pit of self-pity if we are not careful. We must apply God’s principles to any and every situation in our lives. As we desire to walk in the Spirit we will be empowered by our verses today and this will be the remedy for our restlessness. We have three wonderful truths that will indeed combat any restlessness we feel.
I. Rejoice ever more- I am not prescribing that we don’t acknowledge whatever it may be that is causing the restlessness. When we rejoice in the Lord and His goodness, such unsettledness will be replaced by the sweet thoughts and sounds of our rejoicing in the Lord. The Lord is the words and the melody of our rejoicing song.
2. Pray without ceasing- Prayer can takes our minds off of ourselves and direct our thoughts towards the hurt, pain and concerns of others. Prayer brings us closer to the Lord. In the closet, on the job, in the automobile- You fill in the blank! Pray and then pray again! Let your day be saturated and soaked in prayer. Let prayer flow continually without ceasing.
3. In everything give thanks- We have so much to be thankful for. Make a list if needed and write all the ways you have been blessed. The restlessness will fade as you confess out loud all that you have to be thankful for. I have found there is a double portion of blessing when I thank the Lord out loud for His bountiful blessings. You will know joy in your heart when thanksgiving is found upon your lips. Giving thanks allows us to walk down the memory lane of God’s goodness.
It is God’s will that we would do such things- Don’t put it off, start at this very moment and you will, in no time, learn the remedy for your restlessness is following these simple yet powerful instructions from the Word of God.