God Himself is our Rest

In a hurried world, almost nothing is more precious than genuine rest.  We long to have anxieties lifted, comfort provided, peace restored, and joy in abundance. God provides rest for the Christian who knows where to find it. Making time for ourselves, engaging in favorite activities, and going on vacation, these all have their place, but they do not provide the depth of rest that the human soul longs for and needs.

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Counterintuitively, Jesus explains how divine rest comes, by His grace, through purposeful action.  In Matthew 11: 28-29, Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Taking up Jesus’ yoke doesn’t earn salvation, but for those who know God through faith in Jesus Christ, purposeful action leads to experiencing supernatural rest.  Jesus tells us to come to Him, take up His yoke, and learn from Him. 

Putting this into practical terms, coming to Jesus means drawing near to Him to talk with Him and to emotionally connect with Him.  Without a rich prayer life, we are not close to Him and do not experience strengthening in our hearts by the Spirit so that Christ fully dwells in us.  Taking up His yoke means identifying with Him, even though we may attract ridicule or suffering.  A yoke can be difficult to bear, but Christ makes it easy by strengthening us and giving us perspective as we readily identify with Him.

Learning from Jesus means studying and following His life-giving commandments.  The Old Testament background to Jesus’ words is Jeremiah 6:16, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.  But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.'" The teachings of Jesus are good and life-giving. To the extent we learn and live them, our hearts are put at rest.  When we go our own way, we experience all the burdens of our short-sighted choices. 

Rest for our souls comes as we walk in the ancient paths in devotion to God giving attention to Him and His priorities.  When we confess our sins, God forgives us and releases us from the burdens of those sins.  Jesus tells us He’s gentle and lowly of heart.  He gladly, openly, and humbly receives us as we come to Him for strengthening and rest.

Ironically, genuine rest doesn’t result from doing nothing, but comes as we expend effort to draw close to the only One who can put our hearts at rest.  God Himself is our rest.  The following are practical steps to experience Jesus’ rest:

1.  If you have trouble praying on your own, reach out to friends or family to schedule regular prayer times.  An hour in prayer and Bible reading daily is revolutionary for your well-being.

2.  Praying during the lunch hour with friends is an option as well as praying with family members at night.

3.  Look up resources on fasting to make this a regular part of your life.  Jesus taught on fasting because it is essential for our spiritual vitality.  Fasting helps humble us so we can draw closer to Him, which is why Christians customarily fasted every Wednesday and Friday in the first century.

The founder of the Methodist church, John Wesley, encouraged his converts to talk weekly, to confess their sins to one another, to encourage each other in prayer and fasting, and to share spiritual successes.  Meeting weekly with friends in person or on the phone can help encourage you to stay close to Jesus.  If rest has been eluding you, know that Jesus desires to lift your burdens and give you rest as you draw close to Him.  God Himself is our rest.   

Matt Bennett
Founder and President