Why is there so much restlessness in the world and in the church when we have the promise of rest from Jesus!?
Come to Me, all you 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
We can gain insight from the above passage about why we are restless and how to find rest for our souls!
To enjoy the rest of God we need to begin with the right relationship with Him. Those who are still arguing and resisting God every step of the way have not learned to be yoked with Him. They are restless in life and are trying to do things in ways that cause more chaos, disorder, and long detours in life.
When we are yoked with Jesus, we have given over the Lordship of our lives to the one who knows all and is capable of leading our lives far better than we ever can.
Many people are heavy-laden but are not willing to lay down their burdens at the cross. They continue to get on the merry-go-round of life hoping that if they try to solve it one more time, they can gain rest and peace in their own strength. They are not willing to admit that their ways have not brought about the fruit of peace and joy that they have desired, and they continue to have restlessness, anguish, and frustration over various life issues.
Jesus also told His disciples to learn from His humility and gentleness. Jesus not only wants us to be yoked to Him, but He also desires to change us inside out. Wild and out of control people cannot be restful and neither proud and brash people! When we come to Christ, we no longer have to be loud and obnoxious to ensure we are heard. We also don’t need to win every argument to prove we are right. We don’t need to pursue every desire and dream and demand things to go our way. Those are all carnal methods for our flesh to feel better temporarily but do not reflect the nature of Jesus. Instead, Jesus invites us to learn from Him to be patient, humble, quiet, and gracious in the middle of pressure and still be pleasing to the Father.
When we are humble and gentle, we are not annoyed and agitated easily. We also don’t get easily offended by others because we understand the nature of humanity and our old nature. While the enemy will try to trap people in sin and offenses, we know that God is greater and more powerful than any force, and He can change man’s heart and nature dramatically.
Jesus promises that those who are yoked with Him and learn from His humility and gentleness will find rest for their souls.
How about you? Are you restless these days? Are you still arguing with God about who is going to lead your life!? Can you confidently say that you are yoked to Jesus? Are you becoming more humble and gentle over time!?
The gift of salvation and being transformed into His image is the best news! This is the foundation to finding rest in God! Paul and other disciples are remarkable examples of this transformation, and we also have our testimonies of the powerful work of Jesus in our lives through God’s mercy and grace!