Life + Faith

Tag: Psalms

  • A Spacious Place

    A Spacious Place

    “I just need some space” is a common refrain that rotates in my head when life gets overwhelming, busy, and tiring. It’s a phrase I might say out loud to myself, or a response I might give when someone asks how I am and I’m being honest in reply. As I muse over life with a friend or with my wife, I reflect in such a way that highlights the sense of being crowded in by responsibilities and ‘adulting’. 

    To say this is stating a fact which demands reflection. Yes, I need some space, but is there so little time for me? It’s difficult to get space away from the tasks, demands, challenges, and responsibilities that build up over time. We all need space away from people, particularly those of us who are more introverted than others and enjoy their own company. To that end, this quiet thought said out loud is a wish for a quieter life. A life that is sustainable and slower than what we’ve got now. 

    Whether we’re on our own with a diary filled with tasks, whether we’re in the midst of a busy family life going from one activity to the next, or whether we’re empty-nesters or retirees who are busier than we thought without the paid work, sometimes we just crave the space to breathe. 

    It’s ironic, running about as we do even though we don’t like it and want to keep up with whatever we feel we need to keep up with. We try to make subtle changes in our life, less screen time, have a morning routine, read Atomic Habits and incrementally make changes, habit stack, or put the phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’. Sometimes we just need an overhaul. A forensic examination of all our rushing about and what we might be crowding out. It’s a cycle that hampers our walk with God and our ability to know Jesus deeper and be fruitful in our lives. 

    A Spacious Place in Scripture

    The second half of Psalm 31:8 has stuck with me for some time. I’ve been pleased to find this truth while reading through the Psalms of David. It is a reminder for us in these days of over-activity. 

    This is a psalm that describes one who is trapped and chased by enemies, but in all the struggle this brings there is God. God, who is powerful to rescue, and who plants feet in a spacious place. We read this short phrase at the back end of v8, 

    “You have set my feet in a spacious place.” (Psalm 31:8b)

    There are instances in our lives when we want space. Even every day, as we talk to a colleague, we don’t want to be interacting with a close-talker who speaks to us while in our personal space. We want adequate space between us and others so we can have a helpful conversation. 

    We are people who need space. We need physical space to interact in our world, and it should not surprise us that we need space in our heart, our soul, and our mind. We need space to flourish as people, and as the people of God. 

    Space to Flourish

    A helpful image that comes to mind is that of a garden. For plants and vegetables and trees to flourish, there needs to be space. Space between seedlings, space between trunks, space between fruit trees. When the garden is too full or the plants are cramped together, then they do not grow to their full potential. They don’t develop as they should. They need space between one another to access the right nutrients and sunshine in order to flourish. 

    This is the case for us as faithful followers of Jesus. 

    We need space to be able to grow, expand, and flourish in the things of God and the ways of God. 

    We need our feet to be planted in spacious places, where people, attitudes, stuff, and sin won’t crowd out our faith. Like squashed plants and unattended flowers that weeds grow up and choke, we too need space that the Lord provides. Like the parable of the soils (Mark 4:1-20), we want to not only be planted in healthy soil, but we also want to be planted in spacious soil. Soil that is ripe for depth and growth.

    I’ve come to realise that this teaching in Psalm 31 is connected further to Jesus. Jesus himself is depicted as a gardener after his resurrection (John 20:11-16). As the Lord has come to set us in a spacious place, the Lord Jesus is the gardener who picks the weeds and prunes the branches in order to help us flourish. After all, as we abide in him we will produce fruit and grow into a healthy fruit giving tree (John 15:1-11). 

    See how profound this is!?

    We are planted in a spacious place, and the Lord has given us nutrients for fruitful faith in him. 

    As we reflect on our over-filled lives that hinder us from spaciousness, we must examine what is crowding out our space. As we turn to Jesus, he will guide and help us relax into the spacious place he has for us. 

  • Rest in the Rock – A Rest That Transforms

    Rest in the Rock – A Rest That Transforms

    In Part 1 of this series, we explored the idea of finding true rest in God alone. In Part 2, we looked at what it means to trust in God amid the pressures of life. Now, in this concluding post, we turn our attention to how resting in the Rock transforms us—not just offering relief but reshaping how we live, think, and step through the world.

    Psalm 62 doesn’t simply speak of rest as a static concept, like sitting on the couch after a long day. Instead, it invites us into a dynamic relationship with God—a rest that reshapes our priorities, grows resilience, and reframes how we engage with the world.

    A Rest That Reshapes Priorities

    It is written in Psalm 62:11-12:

    One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard:
    ‘Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’;
    and, ‘You reward everyone according to what they have done.’

    Here we see a contrast: God is mighty and loving. His strength speaks to his stability, while his love invites us into relationship. When we rest in God we see life differently. Our priorities shift. Power, wealth, and status lose its allure because we understand that only God will satisfy.  

    There has been told the story of a man who worked hard to climb the corporate ladder. He had everything—position, wealth, influence, power—but at the peak of his career, he found himself empty. One day, during an unplanned visit to a small country church, he heard the words of Matthew 16:26, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” 

    In that moment his heart was convicted. The words stopped him in his tracks. He realised those things he’d been striving for were fragile and fleeting. Change didn’t come overnight, but slowly he had a shift in focus. He spent more time with his family, he had a new depth of relationship with God. He began to serve others rather than himself. His soul found rest, not in what he achieved but in whom he trusted. 

    A Rest That Grows Resilience

    Rest in God isn’t passive; it is active and brings with it a sense of hope. In Jeremiah 17:7-8 we are given a picture of a tree planted by a stream. It says, 

    But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.

    The pressures of life, like uncertainty, grief, and stress, don’t suddenly disappear when we rest in God. Like that tree, however, we are given life and hope and nourishment that comes from a deep well. We are given greater resilience and allows us to face these challenges without breaking, snapping, or losing all hope.  

    When we rest in God we find that our we are refined like gold with fire. Instead of being unable to hope and unable to cope we are given deep resources by grace. His grace. For us. A grace that comes from resting in the Rock. 

    A Rest That Reframes Our Life

    So resting in this Rock doesn’t mean we will abandon all responsibilities and become monks or nuns. Instead, we approach these responsibilities of life with a different frame of mind. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites us to take his yoke upon us. Now, a yoke is a tool, not a device to help us lounge around, and it is to be used in partnership with another. When Jesus speaks of his yoke being easy and his burden light it is because he is the partner who carries the weight. Much of our baggage is not ours to carry, and so Jesus is there with us taking it upon himself. Just like he took our sins and burdens upon himself at the cross, so too he carries our daily worries and anxieties to help us rest. When we rest in Jesus, our life becomes less about proving ourselves and more about walking in step with him.

    As someone who enjoys ticking things off the to-do list, it’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring my worth by what I’ve done. When I take time to rest in God though, well, my life and perspective is different. I recognise it is by his grace, and I can say ‘no’ to certain things, and ‘yes’ to other things that seem to me to be right priorities. 

    Resting in God is not an escape from life but a way of being that transforms everything we do. It reshapes our priorities, grows our resilience, and reframes our lives. It’s not about doing less but about trusting more. And in that trust, we find a rest that satisfies our souls and empowers our lives.

    Rest in the Rock: A Series in Psalm 62
    Part 1: Rediscovering True Rest
    Part 2: Trusting God in the Pressure Cooker of Life
    Part 3: A Rest That Transforms
    Related: 11 Helpful Books on Burnout and Ministry and my review of The Unhurried Pastor

  • Rest in the Rock – Trusting God in the Pressure Cooker of Life

    Rest in the Rock – Trusting God in the Pressure Cooker of Life

    We live in a world that celebrates busyness and productivity, yet many of us feel burned out and empty. Sometimes we feel like we’re barely holding it together. All these demands on our time and on our life stack up, and no matter how hard you try to push through, telling yourself it’ll be easier next week, it doesn’t seem to get any better.

    In working through Psalm 62 we don’t find a quick fix or productivity hacks, but we find something deeper, something that speaks into this reality: rest in the refuge of God. 

    In my last post we explored the idea of finding our true rest in God alone, using the phrase ‘Rest in the Rock’ as somewhat of a reminder of this. Flowing on from this we find Psalm 62 helpful as we navigate the pressure cooker of life, reminding us that trusting in God as our refuge provides rest for us. 

    The Pressure Cooker

    Over Summer, here in Melbourne, we’ve already had plenty of days that have hit 30 degrees or more. Days where the heat is sapping our energy, where if we’re out in the heat of the day for too long we are drained more than usual and only find relief in our iced drinks air conditioned living rooms. It sometimes surprises us that a heatwave, even a couple of days in a row, can bring on a sense of weariness. 

    The psalmist David captures this kind of weariness in Psalm 62 when he writes, 

    Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. (Psalm 62:9)

    If we’re honest this verse can be a bit of a downer. It gives a picture of the fleeting life. No matter our position or status, no matter the things we chase after like wealth, recognition, and achievement, it’ll all be gone. It’s the same for all.  

    When we are faced with a heatwave we go searching for shade or a cool room. When we are inside with the blinds drawn, or under the air conditioner, or even in the pool, the sun is still there. The heat is still there. What those things do is shield us and offer us relief. This is what it means to take refuge in God. It doesn’t mean the pressure of life will vanish, but he gives our soul a place to breathe, to rest, to cool down again. 

    The False Refuge

    But, when the pressures of life stack up, one upon another, we don’t always run to God first. Often we turn to those temporary comforts. 

    These days it’s most likely going to be scrolling through social media or playing around on our phones. But it could go the other way, being focussed so much on work or picking up a project that stops us from being involved in others responsibilities in life. These ‘refuges’ dull that heatwave of pressure but leave us just as empty as before. 

    In v10 the psalmist warns about these false refuges when he writes, 

    Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. (Psalm 62:10)

    I doubt most of us are engaging in extortion or stealing or fraud, but the bigger point is about what we put our trust in. Whether it is money, status, performance, or distraction, these things are not given to us to sustain us. In fact, they are as fleeting as our own lives. Our search for rest and fulfilment in these things soon become as exhausting as the other pressures of life.

    God Our Refuge

    Instead, Psalm 62 offers up a better way.

    Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (Psalm 62:8)

    We have here an invitation into an honest relationship with God. 

    It’s funny how we often put aside our raw and honest selves, hiding those things deep within our hearts to God. He knows them anyway, but something about the sin and brokenness of our soul makes us shield ourselves from the guilt and shame we know sits there. We’d like to present polished versions of ourselves to God, but instead we’re like Adam and Eve just after they’ve eaten from the forbidden tree, hiding our true selves from the God who loves us so. 

    God, after all, is the only refuge in life that we can come to in total abandon. He is the one who will hear us, have compassion and kindness toward us, when we ‘pour out our hearts’ to him. Like a dam that must release the overflow, our hearts full of the pressures of life are invited to release and freedom when we acknowledge our trust in him. 

    Rest In Jesus

    This theme of refuge finds its fulfilment in Jesus. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus gives this powerful invitation:

    Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

    This is the kind of rest we need—not just relief from our circumstances but a deep, soul-level peace that comes from knowing we are held by him who loves us.

    Jesus doesn’t promise to remove life’s pressures, but he does offer to walk with us through them. When we trust him as our refuge, we find freedom from striving to prove our worth or control everything ourselves.

    Psalm 62 reminds us that our true refuge is in God. He is the shade in the heat, and the rest our souls long for.

    Rest in the Rock: A Series in Psalm 62
    Part 1: Rediscovering True Rest
    Part 2: Trusting God in the Pressure Cooker of Life
    Part 3: A Rest That Transforms
    Related: 11 Helpful Books on Burnout and Ministry and my review of The Unhurried Pastor

  • Rest in the Rock – Rediscovering True Rest

    Rest in the Rock – Rediscovering True Rest

    Rest.

    It’s most likely different for all of us. For some, it is sinking into the couch at the end of a long day; for others, it’s going to a favourite cafe for a quiet coffee, or perhaps it’s just a moment to catch your breath in between all those tasks to do.

    If we’re honest, many of us aren’t great at resting. Even when we try, our minds race with unfinished tasks, or we find ourselves turning to distractions that promise rest but leave us feeling just as drained.

    Challenging Our Restlessness

    After a recent pastoral retreat with our team, Psalm 62 has become a bit of a motto for me this year. It’s a psalm about rest—not the kind you get from a good night’s sleep, but the deep, soul-level rest that comes from trusting in God. It challenges us to rethink what rest really means and to ask some deeper questions, like:

    • What is driving me to avoid rest?
    • Why do I keep going and going without stopping?

    Psalm 62 doesn’t offer tips or techniques for resting better. Instead, it points us to the source of true rest—God Himself. The refrain that keeps going around my head is ‘Rest in the Rock’, which, as you’ll see, is a key theme that comes through this psalm.

    Rest in the Rock

    Psalm 62 begins with a declaration:

    Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.  Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)

    These verses set the tone for the whole psalm. Rest isn’t about doing nothing or escaping life’s pressures. It’s about where we place our trust. The psalmist is clear: true rest is only found in God.

    The image of God as a rock, a fortress, and a refuge runs throughout Scripture. It’s a picture of stability, strength, and security. I think of birds nesting in the crevices of a cliff face during a storm, safe from the wind and rain. Or rabbits darting into their burrows when danger is near. These animals instinctively know where to go for refuge. But for us, it’s not always so simple.

    When life gets overwhelming, or gets busy, we often look for comfort in all the wrong places. This can be zoning out in front of the TV, scrolling endlessly on our phones, or chasing achievements to prove our worth. These things might give us a momentary escape, but they don’t provide the deep rest our souls need.

    Psalm 62 calls us to a different kind of refuge:

    Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (Psalm 62:8)

    True rest comes from trusting God with the pressures of life. It means pouring out our hearts to Him—our worries, fears, and frustrations—and finding in Him the security and peace we’re looking for.

    But why is this so hard? Why do we resist the very rest we know we need?

    The psalmist speaks about the pressures of life and the distractions of the world in a few ways:

    • The pursuit of power and status (v9).
    • The lure of wealth and possessions (v10).
    • The fear of what others think or say about us (v3-4).

    These things promise satisfaction but leave us restless. As Augustine famously wrote:

    “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

    Where Do You Find Your Rest?

    Where are you seeking rest outside of God? What is driving your busyness or your need to keep going?

    I’ve been exploring this more honestly with myself over the last 12–18 months. There have been seasons, and no doubt there will be more, where I have sought refuge in productivity, trying to prove my worth by how much I could accomplish. As I continue to be honest with myself, I am constantly tempted to put my trust in my own efficiency. But Psalm 62 reminds me that my salvation, my identity, and my rest depend on God, not on anything I do.

    Perhaps this is just a word for myself as I step into this year. Perhaps it is also a word for you, as you try and deal with the overwhelm.

    Rest in the Rock: A Series in Psalm 62
    Part 1: Rediscovering True Rest
    Part 2: Trusting God in the Pressure Cooker of Life
    Part 3: A Rest That Transforms
    Related: 11 Helpful Books on Burnout and Ministry and my review of The Unhurried Pastor

  • Psalm 103: Praise The Lord

    It is certainly difficult to go through this Psalm without recognising the call to praise. The beginning and the ending couch this Psalm in words to encourage praise.

    Note how personal the writer King David is as he expresses himself.

    “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits” in v1-2.

    And in v20-22,

    “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.”

    This is something deeply personal, something coming deep from within here. It is like David is willing himself to praise.

    There are times, aren’t there, when we have to will ourselves to do something. Whether it is chores around the house to trying to work through our emotions in a lockdown due to a global pandemic. Here David sounds like he is willing himself to praise. Like the marathon runner willing herself to get to the finish line so too David is willing himself to praise.

    Often praise, encouragement and thanks don’t come easy. Often we can be so consumed with our own self and all the problems we have to deal with that we soon forget or fall out of habit of praise, of thankfulness, of gratitude. Here we get the sense of David, writing in reflection from years of experience, willing himself to praise God for who he is and what he has done.

    For David realises all of what God has done. Not only for him personally, but also for the whole of humanity. He remembers God and all his deeds and dwells on the action of his compassionate God, which in turn draws him to praise.

    As we close this three-part series on Psalm 103 I encourage you to remember, dwell, and praise God this week.

    It has been a tough 12 months.

    You may have taken the opportunity to sit with God and spend more time with him this year. But, in the conversations I’m having with people I suspect the majority have not. And so I wonder whether this might be a good time to spend some time with the Lord.

    If you’re one who is in a habit of doing so, I encourage you to keep going.

    But, if you’re one who hasn’t sat with God, opened his scriptures, read and thought of the things of God in a while then I encourage you to do so this week.

    Take 30-60 minutes. Open a Psalm, maybe even this one. Write down a few things that strike you as you read it. Pray about what is on your heart. Express those fears and worries and anxieties to God. And dwell for a period of time, something we’re not used to, on your compassionate God who is slow to anger and abounding in love.

    Because when you do, experience tells me that the Lord will meet you where you are at and will draw you toward praise just as David is here.

    It will do your soul and your life much benefit.

    This is the third of a three-part series on Psalm 103. The first post, ‘Remember The Lord’, can be found here. And the second, ‘Dwell on The Lord’, is here.