Finding Rest in God: Shay Fitzpatrick
When times were rough during my childhood, I would hear my mom say that we need to "let go and let God.” I didn’t know what she meant at the time. I never understood how people could stop worrying about their problems and just have faith that everything would be all right. Casting our fears and concerns on God is a theme that can be found throughout the Bible.
“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” - 1 Peter 5:7
God wants us to live a life free from fear and anxiety, and when we lay our burdens down, we are fully letting Christ into our hearts.
God has recently given me rest and peace in my life. I am the type of person who piles on as many jobs as I can at once; then, when the due dates come, I crash and burn before I finish them. I have always had a hard time letting go of my problems and giving them over to God to let him handle them. But God says that it is okay to have rest. In fact, the Bible says all of our efforts are futile if God is not included.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved.” - Psalm 127:1-2
It wasn’t until a few months ago that I actually started applying this to my life.
I have had many hardships dealing with family, financials, COVID-19, and job opportunities since the pandemic has come about. I normally would have kept all of my problems to myself and tried to fix them by myself, but this time I decided to reach out to my Wesley community for prayer. Of course, I was met with concern, check ins, and love because that is the nature of these wonderful people.
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.” – Psalm 34:17
I learned that prayer is powerful and that I don’t have to take on the world myself because I have amazing friends and a great, merciful God. For the first time in my life, I have learned what it is to "let go and let God.” As due dates would approach, I would watch God make a way out of no way. I also learned that God worked in a mysterious way when I was denied one opportunity but my schedule was left open for a better opportunity. During the pandemic, my oldest sister had surgery and needed someone to care for her and her young child. At the same time, I had applied for some jobs and was hired for one. Everyone else in my family was unavailable and had unchangeable work schedules. God changed the unchangeable schedules of my other sister, my mom, and mine so we would be able to help my oldest sister.
I am still working on accepting that it is okay for me to take a break sometimes. Letting my fears be completely handled by God has helped me to grow in my faith because there is nothing that my God can’t do. Letting go is hard, but it can be done if you have faith in God.
Shay Fitzpatrick is a selfless and faithful member of the Wesley Foundation community that is currently in her second year of studying Animal Science with a concentration in Pre-Vet at Louisiana Tech. Shay can often be seen sporting sunflowers, which match perfectly with her bright, warm, and uplifting presence. Her faithful obedience and servitude to Jesus and his Body are a priceless gift that has made God's loving spirit that much more evident in this community.