Rethink Rest

Come to me all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

When was the last time you truly rested? 

Maybe you have been waiting all year for a vacation--the chance to lounge back in a chair and get some sun. Maybe your idea of rest is sleeping in on Saturday or heading to the gym. 

Most of us would define rest as disengaging from stress. When my kids were babies, I remember people telling me to make sure that I got enough rest. Their intentions, although sweet, were almost laughable. The responsibility I carried to take care of tiny humans did not afford me the opportunity to rest. 

There are times when you need physical rest. There are even times that you need-- what I like to call--a mental health day, a day to myself for emotional or rest for my soul. Both types of rest are good and necessary, but I want you to rethink rest in the realm of your spirit. When you learn to rest in the Lord, you access a spiritual rest; you then begin to live in a place of supernatural peace despite all the natural circumstances and stresses. I’m talking about the kind of rest that made Daniel get a full night’s sleep in the midst of a lions’ den. I’m talking about the type of rest in Acts that had Peter sleeping so hard the night before he was to be executed that an angel had to shake him to wake him up. This is greater than a natural form of rest; this is rest to your spirit, and it’s not a vacation or a retreat. It is a way of life.

Jesus said, “Come to me all who are weary, and I will give you rest.” He goes on to say, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” What was Jesus trying to communicate? He was telling us there is a better way that we can live--a way of continual rest. This is a rest that yields peace and joy despite natural circumstances and stress. It is really an unfair exchange that Jesus talks about. We take Him all the things that concern us and leave them at His feet and in exchange He gives us peace, assurance, and joy. It seems too good to be true. The key is actually making the exchange. When we take our cares and burdens to Jesus, we must leave them with Him. Don’t pick them back up. Cast (throw) your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you. Literally, throw them upon Jesus, He will take the load that you were never made to carry.

You can go on vacation every week, but if you do not experience spiritual rest, you will still feel tired and heavy. You weren’t meant to carry the stress of life. Jesus indicates to us that as long as we are living, there will be opportunities to be stressed. In John 16, Jesus says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” There is nothing in this world that is too heavy of a burden to give to Jesus. Worry, anxiety, overthinking all lead to physical, mental, and spiritual exhaustion. The Bible reminds you that worrying can’t add an hour to your life.  In fact, stress and worry only have negative effects. Worry wears on you like a heavy weight that you cannot get out from under. Stress leads to exhaustion. This isn’t a way to live. There is a way that you can thrive.

Psalm 23 says, “He leads us beside still waters, He restores our soul.” Rest for your body and soul flow out of your ability to rest spiritually in the Lord. Don’t lose another night of sleep worrying. Do not spend hours of your day with your mind literally exhausting itself trying to solve problems and figure life out. Cast it all at His feet; you will feel lighter and sleep better than you ever have. Give it to Jesus sweet friend and experience true rest. 

So, rethink rest. Instead of waiting for rest in the form of a time or destination, enter into rest daily. Exchange the worry, stress, anxiety, sleepless nights, and countless conversations for His peace and His supernatural rest.