This has been a crazy year to say the least. For me, it’s felt like one long night. At the start of the pandemic, the prevailing belief was of its non-seriousness. We were told the virus would be gone by summer time. Shut downs, cancellations, and time away from vulnerable family members seem to never end. I’ve had an increase of anxiety stricken and depressed patients at my clinic. Uncertainty robs us of the one thing that so many crave…rest!
So, let’s talk about rest. What does the word really mean? It is defined by Merriam-Webster with several meanings. Rest is “freedom from activity or labor”, “place for lodging”, or “a peace of mind and spirit”. Rest is as much as what’s happening inwardly as what is happening around us. It is a function of both the mind and body; for striving of one can cause restlessness of the other. There are two key facts about rest that we must realize. First, rest is a promise of God. The Bible says that God is gracious to keep all His promises. So, if we believe that, then we must also believe that rest truly exists. This leads into the second aspect of rest. If it was promised, then it was prepared for us. A special rest is prepared for those serving faithfully. How do we enter this coveted rest?
Many religions and practices give specific instructions on how to achieve rest. While I am a fan of meditation and mindfulness, true rest can only be found in Christ. There is a difference between stillness and rest. Stillness is a cessation from movement. It means to be fully present in the moment without judgment. Rest takes it a step further. It involves trust. As Christians, we place our faith in Jesus. Because we accept what He did on the cross, there is no more striving. We don’t have to perform good deeds for God’s love or eternal life. The emptiness is filled and we can operate from a place of belonging. Even when things get tough, there’s an inexplicable peace that reassures us this life is temporary. Our trust grounds us in Christ and we have rest in the midst of storms.
What does it look like to not operate in our promised rest? The Bible is full of examples, but the most frequent is with the children of Israel. They failed to enter God’s rest on numerous occasions. In the wilderness, they complained about their circumstances. I’ve always wondered how they could doubt a God who delivered them with such a mighty hand. Had they trusted His plan or praised Him for His faithfulness, their journey may have been shorter. Fast forward several hundred years. The Israelites failed to enter God’s rest in their rejection of Jesus. Their tradition caused them to strive by following all the Old Testament rules and regulations. They wanted Jesus as Savior (from Roman oppression), but not as Lord. For these reasons, they didn’t enter rest.
Rest is available to you as a believer. This doesn’t discount your current situation. The pressures of life will pile in and invite you to set out of rest. Don’t give in. Continue to trust in Jesus. He is our anchor in the storms. This trial is momentary. We don’t have to freak out or lose our cool like the world. Instead, we can see it as an opportunity to walk in our rest.
Be encouraged! :)
Written by Christa Martina
FB Page: See Martina Write
Scripture References: Hebrews 4:1-11 (NLT)
“10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.”
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