Jesus is rest.
And oh, how I need it sometimes.
Rest from thoughts that never slow down.
Rest in my body.
Rest for my soul, so thirsty.
Every invitation has a destination.
I know I’ve been saying that a lot, but it’s true and Jesus offers an amazing invitation. One I don’t think we take seriously, one I don’t always remember.
Sure, we need to slow it down and find Sabbath rest. Otherwise we get burned up, short-fused, and out of balance. That’s no good for anyone, but especially for those who get a big dose of us every day.
But today I’m not talking about that kind of rest.
I’m talking about resting in Jesus.
It’s a Sabbath for our faith
We stop working so stinking hard to please God or people and we just start walking with him. We fall in love with him all over again.
We feel the release to be honest with him.
We run to him when we mess up, and we sit with him just to let him know that we can’t imagine being anywhere else.
It’s uncomplicated faith that offers rest rather than striving.
It’s a Sabbath for our soul
One of the saddest things I see is people who are believers, but who have lost their joy. This isn’t a condemnation, but an observation. There have been times that the person I’m talking about is me.
We can find rest for our soul.
Deep, abiding rest that allows us to take a deep breath and to not take ourselves so seriously, and to laugh again.
Resting in Jesus isn’t taking us away from pain or sadness or busyness or chaos.
There’s lots of things that can do that, and certainly our relationship with Lord is the best, but it’s taking us toward something.
It’s taking us toward peace.
It’s leading us to renewed joy.
It’s stripping away the complexities to discover relationship with Jesus.
Oh, Suzie, you make it seem so simple.
Right?
That’s because it really is. We’ve made faith so incredibly tiring. I watch the disciples and their faith consists of walking and talking with Jesus.
They had people issues. They had personality problems. They messed up. They were part of incredible miracles.
But the heart of what they did, and who they became, wrapped around sitting at the feet of Jesus and just listening to him.
Those words were sufficient when they hit a brick wall. They eased their hearts as they mourned. They came at the appropriate time when they had no words of their own.
That’s my desire, too.
Lord, today I choose to rest in you. I refuse to strive in my faith, but will grow as I rest in your words and in truth. Resting isn’t retiring from your purpose for me, but fully embracing your timing, your anointing, and my walk with you, wherever you are leading. ~ Amen
Suzie
Thank you! Just “thank you”.
I needed this today. Thanks Mom. I love you.
Needed this reminder. Not just a reminder but really sink in with deep roots. Thanks, Suzie
Beautiful words! Thank you!
Thank you Suzie! Feeling weary as the kid’s activities are in full swing for summer. Even a few moments wIth Jesus is such a pick-me-up.
Thanks for this beautiful post!
Julie
Yes, just thank you.
Reading through tears once again. Oh, how I desire to rest in Him!
Thank you! I’ve been feeling bit weary lately. Loved your prayer at the end! Thank you Suzie!
That’s what I need more than anything these days. It seems I can find no rest anywhere. Thank you so much Suze for leading me to what has been right in front of my face the whole time, Jesus! I go to church and have many friends there but I need a quiet place and my Bible with just Jesus and myself. My husband is battling cancer right now and no matter what I try to do for him it’s always the wrong thing. He’s angry and takes it out on the one he has loved the most. Jesus will give me the strength by the rest I receive from Him. My heart belongs to the Lord first of all.
Thank you for a timely message for me! God has been leading me to rest in Him!
It is much harder to rest in Him than it should be, at least for me. I know He wants me to rest with Him like I would rest with my best friend. I need to pray and have others praying for me to develop a much closer relationship with Him.
Lord, thank you for Beth. What a beautiful request. She desires to rest with you, as a best friend. Lord, may she rest in you as her Savior, as a God who leads her, loves her, and desires His best for her. Today I stand with Beth and pray with her, thanking you for showing her who you are and what she means to you. In your powerful name, amen.
Thank you Beth! I do need to rest in Him!!
I so need to rest…..
Thank you so much Suzie for these words of wisdom. Resting now.
Suzie, I can’t even tell you how much I love this! Resting from striving. It seems there’s always something to do, get better at and achieve. Oftentimes it leads to burnout. I think we all need to hear this message to rest in Jesus. I know I do! Thank you!
“We’ve made faith so incredibly tiring.” How sad and how true. I’m so thankful for the sweet rest I find when I sit with Jesus. This was simple and beautiful!
I am going through a very difficult time with an adult son. I have to have tough love and not enable
him any more. Some days I feel like I don’t have the strength to make it through . I want to accept
Jesus invitation to rest in Him. Thank you for this encouraging word.