How I Learned to Rest -- What That Really Means

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Jesus really is my rest.

He is not some figment of my imagination.

Jesus, my life, my spouse, my very breath, is taking care of me every step of the way.

For the longest time, I did not know, I was not able to rest and believe that Christ Jesus was indeed on the job.

I struggled with this. When people said mean things about me, or when I was maligned in print or on media, I sometimes doubted that my Loving Father could or would take care of it.

This lack of faith is indeed quite troubling.

That's exactly what Jesus chided His disciples for:

"40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:40)

Where indeed?

They didn't not see Him as He truly was -- as He truly is!

He cared for them!

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7)

God wants us to come to Him. God wants us to believe on Him!

That He is -- and That He rewards those who seek Him!

"6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

It truly is a life of believing, not doing; of receiving, not achieving; of resting, not striving.

Why is this so hard for the Church, for the Body of Christ?

We don't understand how bad the sin problem is. We think that Jesus came to make bad men good.

WRONG.

He came to make dead men live.

And when we realize that He is our life, resting in Him is just that only way to go!

I can now rest and believe that if I have suffered wrong, if I have failed, if I have suffered humiliation at the hands of another, that my Loving Father, my Daddy God is on the job.

I know that my sins will never stop Him from loving me, that His grace will never stop superabounding in my life, especially when I fail.

Adam and Eve ran away because of their sin. But Because of the Son, I can run to my Loving Father even when I sin!

And His love is so rich, so ravishing, so refreshing, that I have no further desire for sin.

I may not be sinless, but I sin less!

I am no longer restless, but I rest more!