The Type of Rest Only God Can Give
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30
When thinking of rest, it’s easy to imagine sleeping, watching TV, or lying on the couch… maybe reading a book. I’m sure most of us don’t picture working, or cooking, or cleaning, for example. In Matthew 28, however, God doesn’t refer to any sort of task. He doesn’t say, “come to me when you’re done working, and I will give you rest.” He just says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
This shows that we can rest in Christ at any point of the day, whether we just woke up or we’ve been in back-to-back meetings all afternoon. The act of coming to Christ can be done by a simple prayer or simply a breath of acknowledgement. Life is passing us by. There’s so much to do. In fact, many of us could never accomplish all the things we plan and desire to do in this life. However, resting in Christ should be at the top of our list. Abiding in the presence of God, whether for a brief moment or an hour, should be a practice and priority for us as believers.
In fact, spending time with the Father is the best use of our time here on earth. In those brief moments throughout our days when we turn to Jesus and invite Him into our space, it’s there He can hold our burdens for us and give us the rest we crave. Because when it comes down to it, sleep, TV, reading, and lying down can only do so much for us.
The rest our souls long for is found only in the presence of an Almighty God. In those sacred, beautiful moments with Him, we catch a glimpse of Heaven on earth. It’s there that God does His transformative work—sanctifying our minds, bodies, and souls—so we can reflect His glory and become more like Him, the very purpose for which we were created.
– ABOUT THE AUTHOR –
Abby Murphy
Development Operations Advisor, Homes for HOPE
Abby joined the team with experience in Marketing and Development and a passion for systemic change and holistic restorative justice. Abby holds her B.S. in Business Administration and has worked with various organizations fighting to end global poverty. She’s traveled for work and has lived in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Kenya. She and her husband live in Connecticut where they enjoy hiking, biking, and doing anything on or around the water.
Contact Abby Murphy at amurphy@homes4hope.org
If this devotional was encouraging and you’re looking for more resources to help you connect with God, we’ve got some good news! Homes for HOPE has put out our first-ever devotional book. “Work As Worship: Finding Eternal Meaning in Everyday Tasks” is a 30-day devotional that invites you to view your work as a calling, not just a career. Through Scripture, practical reflections, and real-life stories, you’ll be encouraged to ask God how your faith and your work can come together in a meaningful way.
Get your FREE COPY of Work as Worship below!
