Peter of Celles, a Benedictine of the Middle Ages, once said this very profound statement, “God works in us while we rest in him.”
A Profound Truth
This is a very profound truth. It is a paradox of the spiritual realm. God works in us while we rest in him. The opposite would also be true, God doesn’t work in us when we don’t rest in him.
Contemplation and Hesychasm
Of course, the idea of resting in God is not known among all Christians. It is called by different names, but it is the same reality. It is called contemplation in the Roman Catholic Church, and is called hesychasm in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Both of these refer to a rest in God that is beyond thoughts and images. It is the being still in the presence of God, talked about in the Psalms. And it is transformative.
Spiritual Transformation
I Can only describe it by saying that it is like the rays of the sun that warms an object, and in the process of warming it, expand it. During this stillness and rest in God, one’s awareness of spiritual reality deepens and expands. Once consciousness is transformed, leaving lasting effect.
Distractions and Entertainment
One can see from this that the best way to keep someone from being transformed is to make sure they never rest in God. The modern world is filled with distractions, entertainment, and constant barrage of images and sounds. We are too distracted to rest in God.
Solitude and Silence
This is why solitude and silence is so important for the spiritual life. Without it, we can never get away from the distractions. Without it, we can never learn to rest in God. Without it, we never actually move into an actual encounter with the living God.
This is why the spiritual teachers of today need to teach this great truth, “God works in us while we rest in him.” And then we need yo teach people how to rest in God. This is the great need for the church today.