How To Find R.E.S.T. in Jesus

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.” Matthew 11:28

I have this thing about bringing in the groceries from the car. It’s almost like an Olympic event that I start getting myself mentally prepared for as I get closer to home. I am determined to make as few trips as possible, so I load myself down like a pack mule, phone, keys, and several bags of groceries and try to open the door to my house and hopefully make it in the door without losing the milk or smashing the bread. It’s a hard struggle, but when I drop the groceries the burden is gone and the mission is accomplished—and I sometimes establish a personal best record 🙂

As women, we often feel like we are packing so many places to be, duties, responsibilities, and appointments that we are barely trudging along and could possibly go down at any moment. There is no relief in sight—or so we think. But God’s Word promises that HE will refresh our life and give us rest!

Resting means letting go and trusting that God is in control and He has a plan. Resting is something you have to CHOOSE to do—purposefully and prayerfully setting your agenda aside and resting in Jesus. 

Sometimes we push ourselves so hard that we fall out of alignment with God’s best for our lives. 

Even seemingly GOOD things can become bad if they are overloading us to the point of making us ineffective for God to use to accomplish HIS purposes in our lives and those around us.  

Check out Isaiah 43 (MSG):

“When you’re in over your head—I’ll be there.

When you’re in rough waters—you will not go down.

When you’re between a rock and a hard place—it won’t be a dead-end. 

Why? Because I am your God—your personal God!

I paid a huge price for YOU. That’s how much you mean to me and how much I love YOU! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back. I’d trade Creation just for YOU.”

Here are my tips to finding rest and dropping our burdens at the feet of Jesus:

Remember that you are not in control. 

The God who flung the stars into existence and who created you in your mother’s womb is in control. If you take a nap or skip a meeting, the world will still continue on its axis. 

Energize yourself by reading and confessing God’s Word daily. 

Speaking life over yourself will keep you from hitting the wall of exhaustion and wanting to eat a bag of Oreos. The power of your confessions over yourself daily is HUGE!

Stop trying to be everything to everybody around you. 

“Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 TPT). Keep your focus on pleasing an audience of ONE—Jesus. 

Train yourself to set apart time each day to just BE in God’s presence, soaking up HIS strength, and experience HIS love for you. 

If you want to keep your car running, you have to have gas in the tank. If you want to be spiritually strong, you have to fuel your spirit by spending time with Jesus each day. HE wants to speak to you if you are tuned-in to hear HIS voice. 

I hope this encourages you today and that you find the rest and restoration that HE longs for you to have! 

~ Melissa Motes

[img_text_aside style=”1″ image=”https://www.cathymorenzie.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Melissa-Motes.jpg” image_alignment=”left” headline=”” alignment=”center”]Melissa is a wife, mother to 3 teenage daughters, and has been TOTALLY SET FREE by the power of Jesus! She is an aspiring author, speaker, and blogger and lives in East Texas.

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