p. 3 | Finding Rest by George B. Starr

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 13, 1913

Finding Rest

By George B. Starr

G. B. STARR

SHALL we, whose hearts and lives at times seem overpressed with anxiety and care, try, as David suggested, to find rest by taking the wings of a dove and flying far away from our surroundings? Do we say to ourselves, as he said: “Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness”? Ps. 55: 5-7. Do we say, Surely away off there, far from people who cause me so much unrest, would I find rest?

This is not the way of rest. “Rest is not quitting the busy career. Rest is the fitting of self to one's sphere.” “This the brook’s motion,—clear, without strife, fleeting to ocean after this life.” “This living and serving the highest and best, ’tis onward, unswerving,—and this is true rest.” “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you,” just where you are.

God is honored and pleased as we put sunshine and cheer into the commonplace repetition of daily toil and do our best, leaving to him the result.

“‘A commonplace life,’ we say, and we sigh; But why should we sigh as we say? The commonplace sun in the commonplace sky Makes up the commonplace day. The moon and the stars are commonplace things, And the flower that blooms, and the bird that sings: But dark were the world, and sad our lot, If the flowers failed, and the moon shone not; And God, who studies each separate soul, Out of commonplace lives makes his beautiful whole.” —Susan Coolidge.

By standing true to our post we make the work of others lighter; by fleeing from it we drop our burdens upon others already heavily laden and add perplexity where all might move harmoniously and well.

But the reason that the majority of us do not find rest is because we bring into the present the burdens and cares of to-morrow. This we should educate ourselves not to do. The promise is for to-day. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” Deut. 33: 25. “No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when to-morrow’s burden is added to the burden of to-day that the weight is more than a man can bear.”

“Never load yourselves so. If you find yourselves so loaded at least remember this: it is your doing, not God’s. He begs you to leave the future to him, and mind the present.”—George Macdonald.

“Bear the burden of the present—     Let the morrow bear its own; If the morning sky be pleasant,     Why the coming night bemoan?”

Trust God. “Have faith in God.” He leads, and all is well. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.” Isa. 26: 3. “To see the hand of God in the present, and to trust the future in the hand of God, is the secret of peace.”

“Why shouldst thou fill to-day with sorrow     About to-morrow, my heart? One watches all with care most true,     Doubt not that he will give thee, too,     thy part. Only be steadfast; never waver     Nor seek earth’s favor, but rest. Thou know’st that what God wills must be,     For all his creatures, so for thee, the best.”

Melrose, Mass.