Steve Porter: Stop Striving & Find Rest in God's Presence
Aug 8, 2026
Looking Toward the Father: A Template for Rest "Jesus replied, 'Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.'" (Mark 1:38 NIV) The crowds were looking for Jesus. The ministry was growing. People were being healed. Lives were being changed. Demons were fleeing. Word was spreading from house to house and village to village. By every outward measurement, this was the moment to stay, build on the momentum, gather the crowds, and make the most of the opportunity. But Jesus did something that still speaks deeply to my heart. He withdrew. While others were looking for Him, Jesus was looking toward His Father. Before the demands of the day could pull upon Him, He went to a solitary place and prayed. He left the noise to seek His Father. He stepped away from the crowds to enter the secret place. He chose presence over performance. Our Need for the Secret Place Oh, beloved, there is something here we desperately need to recover. We live in a world that constantly tells us to do more, accomplish more, build more, and become more visible. Even in the work of God, it is possible to become so busy doing things for the Lord that we slowly lose the tenderness of simply being with Him.
The world says, "Be seen." Jesus says, "Abide in Me." The world says, "Prove yourself." Jesus says, "Follow Me." The world says, "Do more." Jesus says, "Come away with Me." There is such freedom in discovering that we do not have to perform for the love of God. We are not loved because of how much we accomplish. We are not valuable because people applaud us. We are not successful because everyone knows our name. The Sacred Beauty in Hiddenness Some of the deepest works God will ever do in us happen when no one is watching. They happen in the quiet room, in the early morning prayer, in the whispered surrender... in the moment when we close the door, turn off the noise, and say, "Lord, I am here. I just want You." There is a sacred beauty in hiddenness. Jesus Himself spent thirty quiet years preparing for three years of public ministry. Scripture tells us, "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52 NKJV). He did not rush the process. He was not anxious to be known. He was willing to grow quietly under the loving eye of His Father. Perhaps some of us need to hear that today. You do not have to rush. You do not have to force open doors. You do not have to make everyone understand what God has placed inside you. Stay near Him. Let your roots grow deep. Let your heart become tender. Let His voice become more precious to you than the applause of a thousand people. I have discovered something over the years: When the presence of God becomes precious to you, many other things begin to lose their hold. The opinions of people become quieter. The need to prove yourself begins to fade. The pressure to keep up with everyone else slowly loosens its grip. Why? Because you have found something better. You have found the secret place. You have found the place where you are known completely and are still deeply loved. You have found the place where your soul can breathe again. You Can Come Home
Perhaps you have been carrying the weight of expectations. Perhaps you are tired from trying to keep everyone happy. Perhaps somewhere along the way, your walk with God became more about what you were doing for Him than simply loving Him. You can come home. Lay the pressure down. Lay the opinions down. Lay the need to be noticed down. Come back to presence over performance. Come back to His Word over the endless opinions of men. Come back to His will instead of your own plans. Come back to the secret place where throne room dwellers are formed. Beloved, close your eyes for a moment. Whisper His name, "Jesus." Let your heart become still before Him. You do not have to impress Him. You do not have to prove anything to Him, just love Him. Return to the simplicity of devotion. Return to the sound of His voice. Return to the reason you said yes to Him in the first place. One day, perhaps sooner than we realize, the stages will be empty. The lights will be turned off. The applause of this world will be silent. And we will stand before the One whose opinion was the only one that ever truly mattered. "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20 NKJV) Until that day, may we be found near Him—not chasing recognition, not building our own kingdoms, not exhausted from trying to impress the crowd, but sitting at His feet, listening for His voice, living for His smile, choosing, again and again, His presence over performance. For in His presence, we discover that He was what our hearts were searching for all along.
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Steve Porter Steve and Diane Porter have dedicated their lives to helping others experience a deeper relationship with God. Through their work with Refuge Ministries and Deeper Life Press, they have created resources that touch lives all over the globe. Steve has a special anointing to bring forth the deep truths of the Spirit, and his books, articles, and videos have helped people draw closer to God. The Porters live near Rochester, NY, and their greatest joy is to share the incredible love of their wonderful Lord.
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We can preach and forget to listen. We can serve and forget to sit at His feet. We can minister to others while our own lamps quietly grow dim. But Jesus showed us another way. If the sinless Son of God withdrew from the crowds to pray, how much more do we need the secret place? If Jesus refused to allow the demands of people to replace communion with His Father, how carefully must we guard the place of His presence? (Photo via Public Domain Pictures)
Dear one, the world is very loud right now. There are voices everywhere telling us what to fear, what to believe, who to follow, and what we must do next; but beneath all that noise, the Spirit is still whispering, "Come closer." Return to your first love. Come back to the secret place. There are times when we need to turn everything else off and sit before the Lord until our hearts become quiet again—no performance, no pretending, no trying to impress anyone, just Jesus. (Photo via Flickr)
