Look to the Lord for Needed Rest 

Last weekend my mother-in-law visited an urgent care facility after suffering from leg pain and taking a fall. My wife went over to stay with her for a day or so to make sure her mother, who is generally active and not accustomed to sitting still, stayed off her feet and got some prescribed rest. Sometimes the Lord has to do something similar with us. The beloved 23^rd Psalm depicts it in terms of a shepherd taking care of his sheep. At one point, it says, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2). There are times when we need physical rest. If we don’t take those regular sabbaths of rest and refreshment ourselves, there may be times when the Lord allows circumstances to force us to do so. However, it is best if we cooperate with the Lord and willingly submit to and enjoy those times of “lying down in the green pastures.”

We are also often in need of a rest of a different kind – one having to do more with our minds, our emotions, and our mental state. Whether or not our bodies are actively moving, the wheels are constantly churning in our minds concerning certain matters we are dealing with. It may be the fallout from past events, worries over present dilemmas, or concerns about what might be coming up in the future. We have no rest because we are constantly thinking about those concerns, playing out all the possible scenarios in our imaginations, and letting the stress play on our emotions. We are wearing ourselves down mentally and emotionally, and that can end up affecting us physically as well.

It may have been more of that kind of rest Jesus was referring to and prescribing for us in another familiar scripture. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). I don’t believe Jesus was primarily calling out to people who were working hard and literally carrying around some heavy load from one place to another. He was inviting those who were loaded down with burdens in their hearts, minds, and souls to come to Him for relief. Some of that heaviness may have had to do with their spiritual condition and the weight of sin in their lives. He could certainly provide forgiveness, cleansing, and freedom from those types of burdens. But He may have also been referring to the rest we need from letting the cares, problems, and worries of this life weigh us down. We need help in dealing with those too.

The Bible tells us that we should be “casting all our care upon Him, for He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). That is what Jesus seemed to be advocating as well. It is not that we ignore those issues in our lives. It is not that we fail to make any plans or efforts to handle them. Nevertheless, the first and greatest thing we need to do is to hand them over to the Lord. We entrust the Lord with those matters rather than trying to take care of them ourselves. We have faith that He is in control of the situation and He will work it all out for good. We may still have things to do concerning those matters, but we do them under the Lord’s direction and in the ways He desires. Instead of worrying, we trust. Instead of running around in a panic trying to take care of it, we peacefully do what we can and leave the rest in God’s hands. Instead of constantly fretting, we prayerfully watch and wait on the Lord.

Let’s bring our burdens to the Lord today. He can give us the rest we need.