Lauren Appolis
Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 116:7-9, KJV
There is something so profound taught to us about the heart in this Scripture. In Psalm 116:7, the psalmist speaks gently to the soul, inviting it to return to rest. To return … as if we’ve temporarily strayed from home. Isn’t that beautiful? It suggests that our heart’s natural state is rest.
There is comfort in this perspective, because it reminds us that everything our hearts feel that is contrary to rest should be temporary. Anything that opposes rest – anxiety, fear, overwhelm – is contrary to what God intends for us. There is clear biblical grounding for this when we consider how often God invites us to rest in him. (Matthew 11:28; Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:6-7)
David reminds us to call our hearts back to the state in which they are meant to be. What he states in Psalm 116:8 is like a gentle grounding technique. Counsellors use grounding techniques to help those experiencing panic or anxiety by naming – out loud – things that are real and present: what they can see, hear, or touch. This practice draws the mind back from spiralling too far into fear or imagined outcomes and gently anchors it again in reality.
David does something strikingly similar. He speaks to a heart that has wandered and calls it back – not by denying distress, but by naming truth. The Lord has dealt bountifully with him. The Lord has delivered his soul from death, his eyes from tears, and his feet from falling. In other words: God has been good. God has protected him before. God has been faithful. By rehearsing these truths, David anchors his heart in what is real – and finds rest there.
And so can we. Our hearts can return from anxiety to peace, not because circumstances have changed, but because God has not.
Peace isn’t something we earn; it is a gift, freely given by God. (John 14:27) And when we fix our attention on his goodness – past and present – our hearts naturally return to that place of rest.
He has always been good. He will always be good. That is where our hearts find their home.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your faithfulness, and for giving my heart a home where it can rest in you. Help me to return to that rest, even when the world tries to pull me away. Amen.
Lauren Appolis
Kom weer tot rus, my siel, want die Here het goed gedoen aan jou. Ja, U het my lewe van die dood gered, my oë van trane, my voete van struikeling. Ek mag leef in die teenwoordigheid van die Here, in die land van die lewendes. Psalm 116:7-9, 2020-vertaling
Uit hierdie Bybelgedeelte leer ons iets baie diepgaande oor die hart. In Psalm 116:7 praat die psalmdigter met sy siel, hy nooi dit uit om tot rus te kom. Terug te keer ... asof dit tydelik van die huis af weggedwaal het. Is dit nie mooi nie? Dit dui daarop dat ons hart se natuurlike toestand rus is.
Hierdie perspektief bied vertroosting want dit herinner ons daaraan dat alles wat ons harte voel wat teenstrydig is met rus, tydelik van aard is. Enigiets wat rus teëstaan – angs, vrees, oorweldiging – is teenstrydig met wat God vir ons bedoel. Daar is 'n duidelike bybelse grondslag hiervoor wanneer 'n mens besef hoe dikwels God ons uitnooi om in Hom te rus. (Matteus 11:28; Jesaja 26:3; Filippense 4:6-7)
Dawid sê dat ons hart tot rus moet kom, die toestand waarin dit bestem is om te wees. Wat hy in Psalm 116:8 sê, klink asof grondingstegnieke betrokke is. Raadgewers gebruik grondingstegnieke om diegene wat paniek of angs ervaar te help deur hulle te vra om dinge wat werklik en teenwoordig is – dit wat hulle kan sien, hoor of aanraak – hardop te noem. Hierdie metode verhoed dat die gedagtes nie op loop gaan en in vrees of denkbeeldige uitkomste verval nie, en dit help om jou weer in die realiteit te anker.
Dawid doen iets soortgelyks. Hy praat tot 'n hart wat afgedwaal het en hy roep dit tot rus – nie deur deur die nood te ontken nie, maar deur die waarheid op te noem. Die Here het goed gedoen aan hom. Die Here het sy lewe van die dood gered, sy oë van trane, sy voete van struikeling. Met ander woorde, God is goed. God beskerm. God is getrou. Deur hierdie waarhede te herhaal, anker Dawid sy hart in dit wat waar is – en daar vind hy rus.
Ons kan dit ook doen. Ons angstige harte kan weer vrede vind, nie omdat omstandighede noodwendig verander het nie, maar omdat God nooit verander nie.
Vrede is nie iets wat ons kan verdien nie, dit is 'n gratis geskenk van God. (Johannes 14:27) Wanneer ons ons aandag op sy goedheid vestig – verlede en hede – kom ons harte weer tot rus.
Hy was nog altyd goed. Hy sal altyd goed wees. Dit is waar ons harte 'n tuiste vind.
Gebed: Hemelse Vader, dankie vir u getrouheid, en dat U aan my hart 'n tuiste gee waar ek in U tot rus kan kom. Help my om altyd na daardie rus terug te keer, selfs wanneer die wêreld probeer om my daarvan te weerhou. Amen
Lauren Appolis
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11, NIV
Raising my two-year-old daughter often leaves me in a constant state of wonder. I marvel at how she sees the world, how she is learning to navigate it, and how she is slowly discovering her place within it. Her current emotional development has captured me most – and has reminded me often of our own relationship with God.
Discipline and emotional regulation are daily realities in our home right now. It is hard work, but consistency matters if we hope to see the fruit later. Lately, being told “no” feels catastrophic to her. She has a strong will, and her instinct is to push boundaries – especially when something she wants is withheld. “No more chocolate before bed.” “You can’t play with that – you might get hurt.” “You can’t play outside when it’s dark.”
Each moment is met with big emotions and heartfelt protest. Every time, I feel the weight of holding the boundary while watching her struggle with disappointment. It isn’t easy, but I remain firm – not because I want to upset her, but because I know what she does not. I can see the danger she cannot yet understand. So, I sit with her emotions, comfort her, and wait with her until the moment passes.
This has reminded me so clearly of how God parents us.
There are times when God says no to plans we were sure were right. Not because he withholds good from us, but because he sees what lies ahead. What feels like loss to us is often protection in his hands. Love, sometimes, sounds like restraint.
What strikes me most is this: when my daughter is deeply upset, she runs to us – the very ones who said no. She seeks comfort from the source of her disappointment. As adults, we often do the opposite. When life hurts or God’s answer isn’t what we hoped for, we withdraw instead of drawing near.
Jesus tells us to become like children. (Matthew 18:3) Perhaps this includes trusting God enough to run to him even when we don’t understand his “no”. To bring our disappointment into his presence, believing that his heart toward us is always good.
Prayer: Father God, when things don’t unfold the way I hoped, help me to trust your heart. Teach me to run to you – even when I feel disappointed or confused – knowing that you love me and always have my best in mind. Amen.
Lauren Appolis
Wanneer ons getug word, lyk die tug op daardie oomblik nie na iets om oor bly te wees nie, maar om oor te huil. Later lewer dit egter vir dié wat daardeur gevorm is, 'n goeie vrug: vrede omdat hulle gehoorsaam is aan die wil van God. Hebreërs 12:11, 1983-vertaling
Die grootmaak van my tweejarige dogtertjie laat my dikwels in totale verwondering. Dit is vir my wonderlik om te sien hoe sy na die wêreld kyk, leer om dit te navigeer en hoe sy stadig maar seker haar plek daarin ontdek. Haar huidige vlak van emosionele ontwikkeling boei my verskriklik – en dit herinner my dikwels aan ons verhouding met God.
Dissipline en emosionele beheer is tans 'n daaglikse realiteit in ons huis. Dit is harde werk, maar konsekwentheid is belangrik as ons later die vrugte wil pluk. Die afgelope ruk veroorsaak die woordjie "nee" gereeld 'n katastrofe. Sy het sterk wilskrag en probeer hard om die grense te verskuif – veral wanneer iets wat sy wil hê, weerhou word. "Niks meer sjokolade voor bedtyd nie." "Jy kan nie daarmee speel nie, jy gaan seerkry." "Jy kan nie buite speel wanneer dit donker is nie."
Elkeen van hierdie oomblikke lei tot baie emosie en hartverskeurende protes. Elke keer, terwyl ek toekyk hoe sy met haar teleurstelling worstel, is dit moeilik om te hou by die grense wat daargestel is, maar ek bly ferm – nie omdat ek haar wil ontstel nie, maar omdat ek weet wat sy nie weet nie. Ek kan die gevaar sien wat sy nog nie begryp nie. So ek sit maar by haar terwyl die emosies hulleself uitwoed, ek vertroos haar en saam wag ons vir die oomblik om verby te gaan.
Dit herinner my baie aan hoe God, ons Vader, ons hanteer.
Daar is tye wanneer Hy nee sê vir planne wat ons met soveel sekerheid gedink reg is. Nie omdat Hy die goeie van ons wil weerhou nie, maar omdat Hy kan sien wat wag. Wat vir ons soos 'n verlies voel, is dikwels in sy hande beskerming. Liefde voel soms soos 'n verbod.
Wat my die diepste tref is wanneer my dogtertjie ontsteld is, hardloop sy na ons toe – die einste mense wat nee gesê het. Sy soek vertroosting by die bron van haar teleurstelling. As volwassenes doen ons dikwels die teenoorgestelde. Wanneer die lewe ons seermaak, of God se antwoord nie is wat ons gehoop het dit sou wees nie, onttrek ons eerder as om nader te kom.
Jesus leer ons om soos die kindertjies te word. (Matteus 18:3) Miskien beteken dit om God genoeg te vertrou om na Hom toe te hardloop, selfs wanneer ons nie sy "nee" verstaan nie – om ons teleurstellings na Hom toe te bring en te glo dat in sy hart Hy altyd die goeie vir ons verlang.
Gebed: Vader, wanneer dinge nie gebeur soos ek gehoop het nie, help my om U te vertrou. Leer my om na U toe te hardloop – selfs wanneer ek teleurgesteld of verward is – in die wete dat U my liefhet en altyd die beste vir my wil hê. Amen