Until recently, when someone would come up to me and ask how I was doing, my typical response used to be, “I’m busy, but good.” I somehow thought that it was necessary to convey an overabundance of activity in my life. If my schedule had a gap, I equated the lag time with failure.
Yet, the busier I became, the unhappier I was. My stress levels increased, which affected me spiritually, physically, and emotionally.
Rest is not celebrated in 21st century America. Instead, it is often confused with laziness. However, while laziness is the adversity to work, rest is a refreshment from labor. God rested on the seventh day from creation to celebrate His work and He commands us to do the same. If we do not take time to rest, we tend to run weary, even when we are doing good and godly work.
Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, invited those who listened to Him to come to Him for rest. Most of the those who came to hear Jesus had come to Him for healing or to receive a message of encouragement. They looked to Him as a Rabbi, miracle worker, or perhaps the Messiah, and they were looking for something from Him. Their lives were filled with constant demands that they expected Jesus to meet. Yet, when Jesus invited the heavy-burdened to come, it was an invitation to go from distress to discipleship.
Friend, our Lord and Savior wants to refresh and sustain you. He simply asks that we come to Him. Jesus wants us to not approach Him, not as His worker bees, but rather as His closest companions. The amazing truth is that He does not ask that we present the best version of ourselves.
The command is simple: come.
The promise is powerful: God’s rest.
When we allow the busyness of our lives to either define us or distract us from our relationship with God, we will never understand the peace and rest that only He can give. We miss the simple fellowship of being still with God and abiding in His Presence.
My prayer and challenge for you today is for you to take an opportunity to reflect on Matthew 11:28. As you meditate on Jesus’ words, picture how your life would look if you allowed yourself to rest in Christ’s arms and let Him lead you.
Think about it:
- How might you have allowed “busyness” to either define your relationship with God or distract you from Him?
- In what area of your life do you need to experience rest?
