Frantic Mess – A Lament

Project Overview

Fear. Anxiety. Burnout. Exhaustion. Depression. Worry. It should not be this way. These things should not be among God-fearers, but they almost universally are. We’re busy and rushed, constantly running from one thing to the next. We’re stressed out and worried and don’t have any time to refresh our souls. We’re just trying to survive, to make it through each day, while worrying about the future: bills, illness, responsibilities, time, work, chores, etc. We try to rest by taking a vacation or watching Netflix, but in the end, our souls are still weary.

Where can we find true soul rest? How do we attain it? What does it look like?

“There’s rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t cure”
-Crowder, Come As You Are

God has made it possible for it to not be this way any more. He alone can give us true soul rest. In fact, Jesus’ “purpose is to give [us] a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10b, emphasis mine). He calls us, those of us who are weary and carry heavy burdens. He tells us to come as we are and he will give us rest, rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30). “How joyful are those who fear the Lord…They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.” (Psalm 112:1b, 7)

So, true soul rest comes from God alone, but how do we attain it?”The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.” (Psalm 145:18-19)

If we can learn to “[b]e still and know that [he is] God,” (Psalm 46:10a), we might see that, over time, with practice, our hearts and minds learn to be still. If we take a break from our striving to rest, acknowledging that we are not God and cannot do everything, he will be faithful to give us the rest we long for. Our souls already thirst for him, we just have to wait quietly before him and he will give us what we need.

The following verses have helped me to see the heart of God for us, how much he longs to give us rest. He truly cares about each of us very deeply.

• The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalm 34:18
• “For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.” Jeremiah 31:25
• “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 39:23-24
• “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1
• “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” Psalm 62:5
• “You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.” Psalm 63:5
• “That is why the Lord says, ‘Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.'” Joel 2:12
• “So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'” Hebrews 13:6

This photographic Psalm of Lament, Frantic Mess, is my attempt to help others see how worn out and weary they really are. To recognize that we are not God and we need rest. That life should not be this way and it need not be this way. I encourage you to try something new, maybe just sitting in silence for five minutes, allowing your mind to rest and the Lord to speak to you. He may not say anything specific; he may just encourage you to slow down and be still. It’s hard but so worth it. Be honest with him about your worries, fears, and exhaustion. Call on him to come and rescue you. And when he delivers, thank him with all your heart.