Resting Leads to Radiance
‘I AM BUSY’
‘I am a bit held up’
‘I’ve got too much on my plate’
‘Not now’
‘Maybe later’
These are statements we have all made at some point in our lives. We are all victims of the cycle of busyness, whether we realize it or not.
This cycle of busyness is keeping you worked up
This cycle of busyness is robbing you from the Shalom of God
This cycle of busyness is distorting the voice of God in your life
This cycle of busyness is filling up your life's calendar
This cycle of busyness is pushing you to fake it until you make it
But here’s the thing…
…Jesus, and only Jesus has the power to break the cycle of busyness and restore you to the true rest you were meant to live in!
Our desire for rewards and recognition has created a culture of hyper-productivity. Higher productivity leads to better results and greater incentives. We wear our busyness as a badge of honor, and wear ourselves out in the process. Working for identity and fighting for worth is what we strive for. With the endless possibilities available to us, and the ambition to achieve more, it is easy for us to get robbed of our rest!
Although some of us may be clocking those hours of sleep, we still dwell in the restlessness, stress and chaos of it all. While we may enjoy the security of employment, we are not secure in the rest that Jesus provides. Without a doubt, the one thing that has become the most obvious need in our lives and the world is ‘REST’!
In one of His conversations addressing the concept of 'rest', Jesus makes a very honest, yet paradoxical statement. He says: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28- 30 NKJV
It can be quite confusing to understand why Jesus would use the analogy of a ‘yoke’ here. Why would Jesus ask us if we are tired, promise ‘REST,’ and then the very next thing He mentions is more work?
When we look beyond the literal order of the text, we see certain principles that God ordained for us to operate in! (Side note: Some of life’s greatest revelations happen when God helps you look beyond the current scenario and situation you are stuck in!)
Rest Was God’s Idea!
The principle of Rest is both God-ordained and God-modelled.
It is important for us to have a biblical perspective of rest - for it is this kind of rest that leads to a RADIANT life. Rest is a prerequisite for optimal functioning!
In the Scriptures, we see God established the Sabbath - one of the first things He called holy! He created the Earth, marveled at His creation, and then He rested. “So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” Genesis 2:1-3 NL
Throughout the Old Testament, the day of rest – the Sabbath is called ‘holy’ because it is a day set apart for God – a day where He graciously chooses to share Himself with His creation. Rest is the gracious outworking of God’s desire to be in an intimate, joyful relationship with humanity.
A Biblical understanding of REST is therefore a declaration of your freedom!
Therefore, you are not a slave—not to your culture’s expectations, your family’s ambitions, your career's demands, not even to your own insecurities. The importance of speaking this truth into our everyday lives cannot be overstated. Otherwise, we may allow the taunting voice of guilt to shame us for taking time off to truly unplug and enjoy the freedom that comes from rest.
“Rest is holy. Get some!” – Bob Goff
Rest doesn’t mean inactivity!
We often confuse rest with inactivity…or doing ‘nothing’! However, Jesus helps us understand and experience true rest from a slightly different standpoint.
In our key passage, we see 3 keywords!
Come
Learn
Find
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30NKJV
#1 COME to Jesus
Resting In His Presence Leads To Radiance!
We receive sweet refreshment for our souls when we remove ourselves from work and turn to Jesus. This might look like simply sitting in His presence – - where there is no need to ‘do’, only to ‘be’! This is when rest becomes a state of the soul - and everything you set out to do then on, operates from that place of rest.
Peace is found in those whose minds are focused on Him, whose eyes are fixed on Him, and whose hearts are set on Him. As we gaze at the beauty of the Lord, we become like Him - we begin to reflect His radiance!
Take responsibility to craft a habit of resting well in communion with God!
#2 LEARN from Him
Teachability and growth go hand in hand!
If you wish to grow in your relationship with God and enjoy serving Him, ask yourself this question -- How teachable are you?
For some of us, we may be doing well in the department of going before God (indicating your faith is strong and your priorities are correct). However, we are unwilling to learn what the Holy Spirit and the scriptures are teaching us.
Teachability requires humility
Teachability requires accessibility
Teachability requires vulnerability
#3 FIND rest for your soul
Rest Requires Intentionality!
There are certain things that do not happen automatically. Consistent effort, discipline, and intentionality are required. Rest is best experienced in the same way. It is an intentional decision. A fierce one! Here we learn how to prioritize our physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing - through communion with God, and fellowship with the community.
We cannot be Christ-like, live as a dedicated disciple, and eventually become the RADIANT ONE God has called each of us to be, unless we practice the principle of rest and obey the command of resting.
Whether it is reading scriptures, listening to devotionals, dining with friends and family, reading, journaling or whatever it may be - take time to create a space, find your sweet spot of rest, and be ruthless to guard it! Be intentional and allow nothing to stop you from experiencing the true rest that only Jesus can provide. Humbly seeking and submitting to God's sovereign will is the key to finding all that we need!
Barriers to Receiving Rest
Unbelief is one of the most common obstacles to experiencing rest. The feeling of restlessness is present whether it is expressed through worry, anxiety, doubt, or past regrets. Unbelief becomes a stumbling block every time we need to step out in faith.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[l] Is anything worth more than your soul? - Matthew 16:24-26 NLT
The combination of both faith and self-denial is essential on our journey of learning how to approach God. Perhaps the very reason we are unable to experience true rest is due to our unwillingness to let go of our own ways of doing things, our limited mindsets, and the lenses through which we see the world with. God is challenging these very things that preoccupy our hearts and consume our minds that prevent us from experiencing communion with Jesus and entering the rest He promises!
Rest is much more than merely recovering from a stressful, exhausting week. Rest is a privilege graciously extended to us by God, to enjoy His presence and be refreshed! It is the affirmation of a special relationship with God. He is Jehovah Rohi – Our Shepherd who brings us into rest, and who delights in the delight of his people!
Zealous Community, allow us to reassure you, that even in the middle of the mundane - in the midst of the chaos of our fast-paced lives, there is REST available for you to live in the Radiance of God!
“So we conclude that there is still a full and complete Sabbath-rest waiting for believers to experience. As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works, just as God celebrates his finished works and rests in them. So then we must give our all and be eager to experience this faith-rest life, so that no one falls short by following the same pattern of doubt and unbelief.” - Hebrews 4:9-11 TPT