Rest

I have been struggling recently with my "heavy" burdens.  I have wanted to crawl back in bed and avoid my responsibilities.  I have felt poured out, over committed, and weary.  I have wanted to be left alone.   I get up in the morning and plod through my to-do list, hoping that I can make everybody happy.  Why am I so drained by the simplest of things?

 Hebrews 3:19 they were not able to enter (into his rest) because of their unbelief...


The Israelites had been led out of Egypt, but were kept out of the promised land (God's rest) because of their lack of faith.  Their deliverance did not depend on their own strength, but it depended on their belief that God could do what he said he would do.  It's the same way for us today.

4:1  The promise of entering his rest still stands but the gospel message has no value if it is not combined with faith... we who have believed (heard the message and placed our faith in it) enter into that rest.


You can obviously know the truth and still not place your faith in it.   Or perhaps like me, you trusted God in the past, but now you are distracted by the things of this world and you have forgotten to trust.
So where does our rest come from?

Psalm 62:1  My soul finds rest in God alone.
Psalm 91:1  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Matt. 11:28  Come to me all 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.


Come to me
Take my yoke
Live in my shadow
Rest in me


We enter into God's spiritual/eternal rest by faith.  I don't want to be like the Israelites who struggled in the desert because of their unbelief.  I don't want to trust God for the big things (salvation, eternity) and not trust him for the little things (food, clothes).

(Lord I have not entered into your rest because I have not believed your promises that you are with me; you will help me; you will guide me; you will give me strength... I have been trying to do everything on my own and I am too weak.  Lord, I want to rest in you.  I believe that you are with me.  You will help me.  You will guide me.  You will give me strength.  My soul finds rest in you alone.)