We all face situations in life that bring ongoing stress, frustration and turmoil into our lives.  We desperately long to be free of it, but instead, we need to learn how to find rest and peace while dealing with it.  Let’s look more deeply at how to find true rest! 

Matthew 11: 28 – 30 says, “28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

REST ISN’T THE ABSENCE OF STRESS

As I pondered this verse, I realised that often we have the wrong idea about rest. We believe that to be at rest and at peace means being free of the stressful situations in our lives.  Yet, that is not what Jesus said in this verse.  He didn’t say I will take away the stressful situations in your life, and then you will find rest for your souls.  Instead, He simply said, “Come to me and I will give you rest”  Do you see that? It’s such an important shift, and we can totally miss it if we don’t look carefully at this verse.  

Jesus is saying, “I am your rest”.  So rest isn’t the absence of stressful situations in our lives, rather it’s found in a person – Jesus.  

Today, I want to remind each one of us to take every situation that is weighing on us and to go to Jesus and lay it at His feet.  And as these things arise that are too heavy for us to bear, let’s continually keep going to Jesus and laying them at His feet.  As we do, we receive rest and peace in exchange.  Always remember that rest isn’t the absence of stressful situations – it’s found in Jesus!! What a precious promise that we can build our lives on!

Photo credit: Unsplash – Sincerely-Media