There is a rest in God.
To rest means to cease from work— and in the Christian world, ”works” is not a word we want to get entangled with. Religion produces works. The do’s and don’ts become bondage and often turn people away from the One who would give them the real rest they seek.
I recently told a group of young moms, ”Don’t raise your children to only know the do’s and don’ts of the Bible. Raise them to know God and His love for them. Then all the do’s and don’ts that are meant for our good won’t be viewed as a burden but as an act of love and protection.”
The Bible says there is a promise of God’s rest (Hebrews 4:1) but sadly, not all will enter it. ”For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2).
But… ”we who have believed do enter that rest…” (verse 3).
For years, I worked hard for God’s approval, not realizing He just wanted my faith. I was critical of myself and therefore assumed God was critical of me too. But these were lies fed to me by the enemy, my own insecurities, and a lack of really knowing Him.
Another definition of rest is to place or support so as to stay in a specified position. This isn’t only a reference to our physical self, but our inward man. Many people lie down at night, appearing to rest, but inwardly are in turmoil. This isn’t God’s rest.
God’s rest includes peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8), and all the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). And this is just the beginning. The key to discovering the type of rest I’m referring to is faith.
To know Him is to love Him.
And to know Him, you must spend time with Him— in His Word and in prayer. For some, these two things have become the very works we are warned about. But God didn’t design either of them that way. God’s Word is a map of His heart. And prayer is the guide.
So I encourage you to find the rest that God gives. Simple faith in Jesus (who loves you and gave Himself for you) is the start. “The promise of entering into God’s rest is still for us today. So we must be extremely careful to ensure that we embrace the fullness of that promise and not fail to experience it” (Hebrews 4:1 TPT).
