“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” 
Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) 

 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” 
Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG) 

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“Come to me… and I will give you rest.” What a fantastic invitation! It’s possible to dismiss Jesus’ words as a future reality rather than a here-and-now experience, but what if they aren’t? What if Jesus means that we actually can find rest for our whole selves as He did, and not just for a moment, but as a way of life?  A word for living restfully is relaxed. When we look at Jesus, it’s clear that He was unhurried and unstressed. He is inviting us to live the same way.  

How do we do that? First, we need to slow down. We need His power to do this (which He gives us in the Holy Spirit) and to follow His example. Jesus sought to do whatever the Father asked Him to do. To people who worry about the necessities of life, Jesus says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). It’s generally the daily things of life that compete for attention to God and that steal our peace. 

Second, we put ourselves in a posture to receive his rest. This is something we literally need to train ourselves to do. Our productivity-driven culture has conditioned us to be continuously moving. We have to intentionally counter what has become our natural inclination of doing so that we can be with Jesus.  

One time-tested way to quiet our minds and bodies is to slow our breathing. Let’s try this today. Begin by taking at least 3 deep breaths. While you do, ask the Holy Spirit to calm your body and focus your thoughts so that you hear what He wants to say to you. (Pause to breathe deeply.)  

Now, take a minute and ask God to guide you as you seek to experience Jesus’ presence. Choose the Bible version of today’s Scripture that speaks to you the most. Read the verses (out loud if possible) and listen. God is talking with you through His Word. 

Re-read the passage again two more times, pausing between readings. Do you notice any word or phrase that is particularly meaningful to you? Is God reassuring you that you can trust Him in a particular situation? Is God encouraging you to give Him anything that steals your rest? 

Jesus had peace because he sought solely to do His Father’s will. He did that because He trusted the Father. We can trust God more fully if we truly know Him. Jesus meets us through the Holy Spirit, our Counselor and Guide, but how will we know Him and what He wants us to do unless we make space to receive and listen to Him? 

Next Steps 

• Ask God to grow your ability to trust Him. 
• Use the phrase, “Lord, I’m trusting you“ to receive His rest as you go about your day.  
• If you aren’t already, try reading the Bible with a posture of listening to God.  
• Ask God to enable you to do what makes Him smile.