(Change For Good is an ongoing series of thoughts and observations on life as impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic)

(By Rachael Stahl)

How different things are since I last wrote about rest. Our busyness has come to a screeching halt. While a welcome reprieve at first, in time many of us will become, or already are – or even have been since the beginning – restless. 

The Oxford Dictionary defines restlessness as being unable to rest or relax due to boredom or anxiety. My mind brings to memory restless nights of tossing and turning because of fear or long winter days stuck in the house with bored little ones. The aftermath was physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual exhaustion. 

All the information about COVID 19 and the potential timeline for isolation has made my heart and mind feel restless. The endless thoughts: How will I keep my family healthy, fed, happy, occupied, and educated? How can I help my friends, my neighbors, and my community? How will our city, state, country, and world bounce back from this? 

There also feels like there is this constant thought of “Am I doing too much or am I not doing enough to prepare?” This in itself makes me feel unease. And how long before we begin to feel bored? Or are we already there? As a culture that is accustomed to constant entertainment, I imagine at some point in this social distancing process we will all utter the words, “I’m bored.” 

As I sought the Lord about this restlessness and how we should combat it, I heard him say, “Come away with Me.” This same phrase can be found in Song of Solomon, an allegorical love song between God and His bride, the Church. You see, the antidote to restlessness is love, His love. And the only way we come to know and trust His love is by coming into communion with Him.

In Song of Solomon 2 the Shulamite woman (the Church) testifies of the Beloved’s (Christ) care for her. In verse three she paints a picture of the shelter God provides to those he loves, which brings security, covering, and protection. She describes a banner of love that provides, sustains, and refreshes (vs.5). 

Verse six illustrates God’s constant loving hand on us; holding us steady and embracing us. He acts in such a manner because of His great love for us. His love for us may be evident in a million ways, yet, there is still a transformation that needs to take place in us in order for peace to replace our restlessness and trust to overcome our anxieties. 

In verse 10, God gives the invitation to His bride to come into communion with Him and be transformed by His love. 

“Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!”

This portion is not talking about a literal change of seasons, but a change within the heart of the one He loves. 

Matthew Henry writes in his commentary on this portion of scripture, “A child of God, under doubts and fears, is like the earth in winter, its nights long, its days dark, good affections chilled, nothing done, nothing got, the hand sealed up.” In other words, we are restless yet unproductive. God promises that in our submission and response to Him our restless heart will be transformed to one full of new joy, new life, new fruit, and sweet aroma. This exchange is something available to us at any time, in any season, for every circumstance. 

When I read the Shulamite woman’s words in verse 16, “My beloved is mine, and I am His” my heart burst. This is the attitude I want for myself, for you, and for the Christian Church as a whole. This is a heart that trusts Him in full and is at rest. And what is the result? 

In Chapter 8, verse 5, we see others asking in admiration, “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” To me this suggests that others recognized that it was because she clung to her beloved that she was able to make it through with such grace and peace. 

Church, not only does Christ give us opportunity to be transformed by His love, but He gives us the privilege to display it to others for His glory. Others will notice our devotion to our Beloved in this time as exemplified by the fruit we are producing. 

Things are not easy. There is a lot up in the air. It is a trying time. But His banner over us is love and He desires to be in communion with you so that He can impart rest into your soul. 

“Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands.” Elisabeth Elliot