New Meaning

       In April I blogged about what I was learning about rest. During that time I talked about the physical, emotional, spiritual rest that we are commanded to take out of each week, out of the busy times in our lives. I shared about a real "rest" I had decided to take from school, relationships, a job, etc to simply rest and allow my body and mind and spirit time to recuperate from too many months of hardship and exhaustion.

     Yet now, three months later the Lord has revealed to me a NEW meaning of His rest. From months past I was writing and thinking about the outward meaning of rest in my life and in scripture. This week I am thinking about the inward meaning of rest in my life and in Jesus` words that His yoke is easy and His burden is light... that when I come to him with my heavy burdens, He will give me rest.





    I want to share these bullet points considering the rest that Jesus provides and then share how I see them at work in my life this week...

How does Jesus give us rest? 

1. Rest from a guilty conscience by His full and free forgiveness.

2. Rest from fear of death.    

3. Rest from the burden of trying to prove just how good we really are.                                        

4. Rest from seeking to find our acceptance by manipulating others.                                

5. Rest from the anxiety of trying to pretend we are in control of our lives.                          

6. Rest from the battle to be someone we are not but would like to be, into the freedom of being           ourselves. 

7. Rest from the fear of the power of others over us.

8. Rest that comes from the confidence of His unwavering affection for us.                     

9. Rest in knowing He will provide all we need in His good time.                                

10. Eternal rest in glory with Him. 

     For the past month my life has been completely different. I have hardly slept at all, instead I have been daily working a very physically and emotionally demanding job as well as going to school every morning and forcing my brain and memory to work and recall information as well. When I think about what I have been doing each day I wonder, wow, why am I not exhausted? Then I realize how full of energy and life I have been and I ask myself, why? 

    The answer is that Jesus has given me rest, and is giving me rest. On days when I simply feel like I cannot handle the spiritual burden of my patients at work, he reminds me that He carries the weight of my shortcomings and He gives me strength. In that truth I find rest. On days when my physical strength is being tested and I don`t feel like I can go on, He reminds me that I am not in control and that His strength IS my strength. On days when I am emotionally drained and sick of crying He reminds me that his love for me in unending, and that he accepts me no matter what the world tells me. In that truth I find rest. 

     I look back on the past month and say wow, thank you Jesus for your faithful rest. Thank you that your burden is easy and your yoke is light. Thank you that you give me exactly what I need to get through each day, and give you glory for it. Thank you for forgiveness and grace when I fail time and time again. Thank you for joy in the small things of life. 

    No matter how physically, emotionally, or spiritually burdened I am... He gives me rest. In Him I find rest.