Are You Weighed Down?

 

By Andrea Merrell

 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28 NKJV

 

“Stop, Daddy, stop!” the little boy shouted as he bounced up and down in the backseat.

The dad slowed the car and glanced at his son in the rearview mirror. “Why do we need to stop? What’s wrong, Son, are you sick?”

The boy continued to bounce. “Didn’t you see the sign? It said we have to pull over and weigh ourselves.”

The dad chuckled as he patiently explained to his child that trucks must pull into the weigh station to make sure their loads are not heavier than their trucks can legally haul.

What if we had the same safeguards? Places where we could pull in and measure our stress level and the loads we carry before we wear ourselves down.

Fortunately, God has provided such a safeguard for us. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The Message says it this way:

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.

When we come to Jesus, He promises us rest. He will take our heavy burdens—our stress, our problems, our anxiety—and lighten our load.

Experiencing the unforced rhythms of grace sounds like a good plan to me.

How about you?

Photo by Pavitra Baxi on Unsplash

The Place of Rest

 By Andrea Merrell

 

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

Psalm 37:7 NKJV

 

Do you have trouble resting? Really resting? Turning off your anxious thoughts and escaping from the cares of the world?

 

I sure do. Sometimes no matter how hard I try, I can’t find that place of rest. This is especially true when my day is full of tasks and challenges, and I begin the day like a runner poised at the starting line, waiting for the signal.

 

The Bible has a lot to say about the subject. Even Jesus took time to rest. To take a break. To clear His mind and stay connected to His Father. And He invites us into that same place of rest.

 

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 lightly and freely. (Matthew11:28-30 MSG)

 

True rest is found only in Him, in His presence. Allowing Him to take charge of our days. Casting all our cares on Him. Keeping our mind and heart focused on Him. And by maintaining a grateful heart.

 

Spend time with Jesus. He is waiting to lead you into the place of divine rest.

 

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

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True rest is found only in the presence of Jesus. There you will experience the unforced rhythms of grace. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

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When You Feel Like God's Abandoned You

By Andrea Merrell

O Lord, you have examined my heart

    and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

 You see me when I travel

    and when I rest at home.

    You know everything I do.

 You know what I am going to say

    even before I say it, Lord.

Psalm 139:1-4 NLT

“God, where are you?” I asked over and over. There was no answer. I wondered if I’d been tossed aside to fend for myself.

Have you ever felt as if God has completely abandoned you—turning a deaf ear to your prayers and ignoring your faith?

If so, you’re human.

There’s nothing better than walking in close communion with the Lord, feeling His presence and hearing His voice. But sometimes we find ourselves in a hard place, and we think we’re there all alone.

Even Jesus faced a time when He asked the Father why He had been forsaken.

But the powerful, life-giving Word of God is the truth we can cling to no matter what we’re going through. In reality, the Lord is as close as our breath and knows us even better than we know ourselves. He has promised to never leave us, so He’s always there—even when we can’t feel His presence. He’s concerned with everything that concerns us. Our names are engraved on the palms of His hands. He even numbers the hairs on our head. As we seek Him and draw close to Him, He promises to draw close to us. When we take one step, He takes two.

When the cares of this life and the voice of the Enemy tell you that God has abandoned you, turn to His Word. Rest in His promises. He will never let go of you.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

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Rest in God’s promises. He will never let go of you. @Andrea Merrell (Click to tweet.)

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