God allows outward circumstances to be restless, so that we may learn to be at rest, regardless of what happens in the outward environment. However, it is not God’s will that the outward environment should be continuously restless. We even say that God is not the author of restless circumstances. He is the God of peace and cannot be the author of restlessness. The devil is the author of all restless circumstances. The Lord Jesus, even though He was at rest in restless circumstances, nevertheless brought outward restlessness to an end. Let us look at one example from the Bible. “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care if we perish?’ 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. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?’ ” (Mark 4:35-40).
Do you see that the Lord was at rest in a boat that was tossed by restlessness? He desires that we know that same rest in a restless world. He told the eleven disciples and by implication, he is telling us, “l have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer, l have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Having peace in the Lord and tribulation in the world is the normal Christian walk.
However, even though the Believer lives in a troubled world, there are moments when there is both inward rest and outward rest! Isaac was brought to such a position by the Lord! The Bible says, “And he moved from there and dug another well, and over that they did not quarrel, so he called its name Rehoboth, saying, ‘For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land’ ” (Genesis 26:22).
He dug a well and there was no quarrel. There was outward peace. Isaac confessed that the Lord had made room for them. He also confessed that they would be fruitful in the land.
We can say that the Lord allows the periods of outward restlessness to come upon us so that we may build inner character. Everyone can be at rest when outward circumstances are restful. The mature are at rest in all circumstances. We can say that the times of outward restlessness, the times of difficult outward circumstances, are given to us by the Lord for growth in depth. These are often followed by times of outward rest, so that we may grow numerically. Let us look at two examples: Isaac amassed most of his wealth when there was no strife between him and the Philistines. He was at peace to sow and to reap one hundredfold in one year. If there had been strife, it would have been impossible to sow and reap so much. It would have been difficult to water the crops or the herds if there had been unceasing strife at the wells. The times of outward tranquillity were followed by the times of outward restlessness. During that period, he grew in the knowledge of God. The circumstances were such that he had to turn to God daily, hourly and every minute. That intensifies the knowledge of God.
The second example is taken from the book of Acts. After the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the Bible says, “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied” (Acts 9:31). There was peace. The churches were built up and there was the fear of the Lord, the comfort of the Holy Spirit and multiplication!
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Do Not Misunderstand Me.
I am only making a comparison of two situations in which people who have inward peace or inward rest in the Lord could have either outward rest or outward restlessness. In these situations, that of outward rest is more advantageous for the spread of the Gospel. However, people who know no inward rest (which is the fruit of radical consecration and radical holiness) can have much outward rest but make no strikes for the Lord.
It is sad to notice in our day that the fastest growing church in the world is the church in China under a repressive dictatorship and that the churches in Eastern Europe and China have all these years manifested unusual degrees of holiness and Christlikeness. This is to be compared or put side by side the very lukewarm church of the free West!
When people know and love the Lord and walk in His rest, they will make marked progress in the growth in numbers, even though the outward circumstances are unfavourable.
What Then Do We Ask the Lord For?
We maintain that inner rest is basic. In addition to this basic inner rest, outward rest is to be preferred to outward restlessness. So we ask the Lord to enable us to pay the full price for inward rest, and we ask Him to bless us with outward rest, if it be His will. Inward rest is a must, so we supplicate Him to lead us to it and we cooperate with Him so that He can lead us to it. Outward rest has its advantages and disadvantages. We seek His will asking Him, “Lord, what is best for Your utmost glory now?” He may have outward rest as what is best for His utmost glory. If that is the case, we definitely intercede for outward rest, fully assured that we are praying in accordance with His perfect will. If, on the other hand, He should reveal to us that at the moment what will bring Him utmost glory is outward restlessness, then we, while maintaining inward rest, should ask and receive from Him outward restlessness with thanksgiving, since we have only one commitment and that commitment is to His will!
“To what are we consecrated?” Not to Christian work, but to the will of God, to be and to do whatever He pleases. The path of every Christian has already been marked out by God. If at the close of a life we can say with Paul, “l have finished my course,” then we are blessed indeed. The Old Testament saints served their own generation and passed on. Men go but the Lord remains. God Himself takes away His workers, but He gives others. Our work suffers, but never His. He is still God.” (The story of Watchman Nee, P. 174).
The question is what we know of the cross at work in our lives. The question is the measure of our dying to self will. The question is the extent to which we are yielded to His will and to His will alone. The question is the extent to which we know Christ and are His. To the one who with the Hymn writer can truly say;
Jesus, my Shepherd, Saviour, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise l bring, (S.S and S. no 112)
Inward peace, inward rest is a reality and outward rest or outward restlessness is of no consequence.
Isaac Attained Double Rest
Isaac knew inner rest. Then he knew outer rest. Then he was led to inward rest while the outward was restless and, finally, he was brought to outward rest.
Each believer begins from rest. He grows and enters the inward rest of God and outward rest. Then while maintaining the condition of inward rest, he is allowed to go through many circumstances that are outwardly restless. God, finally, brings all His own to outward rest.
l do not know if outward restful circumstances will be yours in this life. One thing is certain. The Lord Jesus who is our Peace is coming. He will soon be here and when He comes, He will bring every situation of outward restlessness to an end. Then there will be unceasing outward rest even as there is unceasing inward rest. Glory be to the Lord! Amen.
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