Rethink Rest
“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28
When was the last time you truly rested? Maybe you’ve 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. I remember when my kids were babies and people would tell me to make sure I was getting enough rest. Their good intentions were sweet yet almost laughable. The responsibility I carried to take care of tiny humans didn’t afford me the opportunity to rest.
There are times when you need physical rest, and there are even times when you need what I like to call a mental health day, a day to myself for emotional rest for my soul. Both kinds 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, there is a spiritual rest that occurs that allows you to live in a place of rest despite natural circumstances and stresses. I’m talking about the kind of rest that made Daniel get a full night sleep in the midst of a lion’s den. The type of rest that Peter had in Acts, sleeping so soundly the night before he was to be executed that an angel had 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’s a way of life.
You can go on vacation every week, but if you don’t 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— they all lead to exhaustion. Exhaustion physically, mentally, and spiritually. The Bible actually reminds us that worrying can’t add an hour to your life. Stress and worry only have negative effects physically, mentally, and spiritually. Worry wears on you like a heavy weight that you can’t get out from under. Stress leads to exhaustion. This isn’t a way to live.
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 - a rest that yields peace and joy despite natural circumstances and stress. It honestly is an unfair exchange that Jesus talks about. We give Him all of 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 have to 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.
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. Don’t spend hours of your day with your mind 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! So, give it to Jesus sweet friend and experience true rest.
Rethink rest. Instead of waiting for rest in the form of a time or destination, enter into rest daily. Exchange it all! All the worry, stress, anxiety, sleepless nights, and countless conversations, all for His peace.