A Journey of Rest

By Ps Ng Zhiwen

In June this year, I wrote a reflection on The Year of Rest (https://www.zionbishan.org.sg/2026/06/mid-year-reflections-in-the-year-of-rest/)

Since then, I’ve asked myself how I’ve grown in my understanding and experience of God’s rest.

Through our journey in the book of Samuel, one of the profoundest lessons for me has been that of learning not to grasp for things.

I saw how people like Saul, Abner and Joab, tried to take things into their own hands, and they schemed and manipulated situations to advance themselves. That is the restless way of the world, and it does not reflect God’s way for His people.

David on the other hand learned to rest in the One who had anointed him, and to make the LORD his refuge. What a lesson in rest.

I’ve shared with some of you that during the journey leading up to the Antioch Summit missions conference in early October, my team and I had to grapple with various major challenges. We felt broken and beaten down.

We spoke often about making our way to the Summit ‘on our knees’, by which we meant being in a spirit of constant prayerfulness. We didn’t just perceive this, we had to live it.

As I look back, I must say that it was truly the LORD who carried us through. I’ve come to realize that this is how the LORD often works. He lets us undergo seasons of weakness and brokenness, in order that we learn not to rely on our own strength and wisdom, but that His power may “rest on us” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

As we become broken vessels, we may also be monuments to His grace. 
And He becomes glorified in us.

And so, this has truly been a Year of Rest.

I want to take this opportunity to share that I will be concluding this year of rest with a sabbatical break for the month of December. Session has kindly blessed this proposal, and I am thankful. You won’t see me much in December as I withdraw from ministry engagements including on Sundays.

I hope that you too will end this year restfully in the LORD.