“Come to me, all 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
I’ve been married to my lovely husband, we are in our seventh year, praise God! We’ve been through some highs and lows, joys and tears, but thanks be to God we choose to daily walk with Jesus because no matter the season he is our Sustainer, Protector, Provider and so much more, it’s truly awe dropping. One of the characteristics of God that I love most is that when we look to Him, and trust in Him, he gives us perfect peace, that Philippians 4 peace, the one that surpasses all understanding. The peace that we truly can’t understand, that when people look into our life and are totally confused of why we are totally unfazed, and just walking with our head up high, filled with joy and hope knowing that the Great I Am promises His constant presence, that we never have to doubt that He is indeed with us.
When was the last time you truly fixed your gaze upon the Lord?
How do you know when you are truly resting in Him?
In Matthew 11 we read how Christ calls us to himself. The word I am looking at is labor, what does he mean by come to me all who labor? What does labor mean? And one definition that stands out is this one: having difficulty in doing something despite working hard, striving, making every effort; yet still coming up short! Have you ever been there, trying to do everything you can do to do things right, be the perfect wife, mom, daughter, family member, friend, church goer, and just human being? And growing in your gifts, and maybe even being the best hostess, best bread maker, best coffee/matcha maker. When we get to this place and trying to do all of this just to get high praise from people we have locked eyes with the world and it’s unrealistic expectations that the Lord never put on us. If we are called to rest that is the opposite of rest, it just ignites anxiety, depression, severe people pleasing that every little fault you do will take you out and you will think you are the worst person on earth and that you will never be forgiven, never seen as trustworthy, will never be called upon the Lord to do anything for His glory, insert _______ whatever it is for you, for me it’s bring me severe anxiety that I just shut down and think its all over. This is how we know we have not allowed the love God to fully penetrate every single inch of our lives. When His love takes over our whole self, we walk different, we talk different, we give differently, we do it in such a way where whoever comes into contact with us is taken a back. They may come up to us and ask what they are seeing/smelling (since we are called to be sweet smelling aromas), and that is our opportunity to speak the name of Jesus, to share the good news of what He has done in our lives, and how He wants to do the same in theirs and give them life eternal, and secure their identity in Him.
This is how we know we are fixed on Him and resting in Him when we are running towards Him all the more when either things are going up or things are down, because in both seasons He is still calling us deeper to Him.
Today, I simply want to encourage us all that we don’t have to live enslaved by the things of this world, or allow people to enslave us. The Lord is leading us to Him. There is no bondage in Him. There is no burden in Him. He says in 1 John, that his commands are not burdensome, and that walking in Him and loving Him and our neighbor that is freedom, that is where we will see His goodness all the more when we obey Him. Why would we want anything less than that? Why would we want to walk in such a way where everything is checklist, and if we didn’t check it off we stress out that we didn’t get this and this done and now God is upset with us and people are going to get upset at us. When we are walking in what the Lord has put in front of us to do faithfully with joy we can trust that the Lord is pleased because He sees our desire to honor him, no matter the cost. We are called to count the cost of following Him. Are we counting it? There is a heavy cost of following Him, but we can walk in it with joy knowing that He has said I am with you wherever you go because I have already prepared you and filled you with my spirit to go boldly and unafraid, confident that He will give me His words to speaks, give me the tools that I need to build whatever He needs me to build, encourage who He needs to encourage, love he knows needs to feel and receive His love, it is all about Him. The moment I start making t about me is the most where I have taken my eyes off of Him and have now added stress and need to perform to get an applause for what I am doing. That sounds exhausting.
A rested soul is one that is keeping His mind fixed on Jesus and heart that is humble before Him trusting Him in every step.
A rested soul abides in Him and humbly walks with others in such a way where people around them are refreshed.
A rested soul does not rush to get to where the world wants them to be or forces them to be or tells them this is the only way, the rested soul goes at the rhythm of grace God has for them and if they get there they get there and if they don’t they know that the Lord has what’s best for them at every stop, every corner, every season, and where He leads people will know Him, love Him, be transformed by Him, and will praise Him for our He truly is Lord of all.
The rested soul makes it all about JESUS and there is no anxiety, fear, climbing the ladder mentality attached to them.
Will there be moments where we fall into it of course, but the Lord is faithful to warn our hearts and call us back to him. The question is will we heed, repent and return and continue on in the way that He has for us to go.
be blessed tonight friends and go be a spark and ignite the space He leads you to with the love that He has given to you! ❤
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