Daily Devotional

Rest is defined as “Cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh yourself, or recover strength.”
 
When you think of Jesus offering you rest, what comes to mind? Maybe a nap after lunch. Maybe bingeing your favorite show. Or sipping on your Starbucks coffee of choice while relaxing in your favorite chair. When we hear the word ‘rest’, all of us have different ideas. For me it’s going to a baseball game and cheering on the Bulldogs. For you, it might be something else. And while there are many ways to rest, there’s only one type of rest that truly refreshes, replenishes, and restores you. And that rest is found in Jesus.
 
To find rest in Jesus, we choose to take up our cross and follow Him each day (Lk.9:23). We choose to cast our cares upon Him (1 Pet.5:7). We desire to obey God’s Word, aligning our lives with what He tells us. Sometimes we forget that Christ is our refuge. And even when rest is nowhere to be found, we can always rest in Him.
 
We are in a spiritual battle. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. He loves to try and trip us up, and tempt us to sin. We have to know that, be prepared for it, and stand against it. And if we do fall (and we will), we get back up and keep following Him.
 
Part of growing spiritually includes learning to find our rest in God. Turning to His Word, prayer, and corporate worship at church to realign our will with God’s. When we ignore these things, it’s easy to become distracted. We no longer sense His Spirit nudging us to do this or that. Finding our rest in Him helps us stay attuned to the Spirit.
 
And there is so much noise. The world, our family, our jobs, relationships. We seek man-made ways to unwind, a day in the mountains, or a massage. Nothing wrong with that, but these are only temporary fixes. But if you are weary, the rest you need is found in Jesus Christ. He doesn’t expect us to carry the immense load of life on our own, yet so often that’s what we choose to do. We forget to depend on God. We say things like, “I’ve got this.” And after multiple attempts to carry the load, you realize it’s too much for you.
 
How do we rest in Jesus, not just once in a while, but every single day?
 
1. Take a break
Everybody’s busy. And even those who aren’t busy still say they are. It’s like a badge of honor. Reality is, we need to find time to relax and take a break. Even God rested on the seventh day of creation (Gen.2:2). God has designed us to need a break. And ideally on that seventh day, we go to church and worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
 
2. Refresh yourself
Too often when we attempt to refresh ourselves we look outward for the next thing that makes us feel alive again. But for followers of Christ, Jesus is the ultimate refresher. His mercies are new every morning (Lam.3:22–23). Surrender our burden to the Lord. Ask Him to refresh us.
 
3. Turn to Jesus Christ
When we build our lives on Jesus Christ, we become grounded in Him. Even when the storms of this life come crashing down, we are grounded and immovable. We build our lives on His Word, memorizing and meditating on His Truth. Our faith is strengthened by Jesus, the Rock.
 
4. Be quiet
How often do you sit in silence? Try it this week. While driving, shut off Spotify, and just be silent. Better yet, find a room where you can be alone, or go find a spot in nature where you can be alone. And be silent before the Lord. Pray. Think about your devotions, the sermon at church, or your favorite verse. God will meet you there. And God will renew your spirit.
 
Jeremiah 31:25 - “For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.”
 
This summer, find time to rest and renew.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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