Rest

As you get back to work and try to catch up from all that you intended to do before Christmas break and the end of the year, you’re probably feeling a lot like me: busy, overwhelmed, weary. And we’re only three days into a new year! You may have had time off from work or school, but did you find any rest? Still need a minute?

It seems there’s always too much to do and never enough time to do it.

It’s not that we don’t have enough time in the day, though; it’s probably how we’re using the time we have. It’s not about “balance,” either, because all the demands of our time are not equal. It’s not even about the season of life we’re in because kids, young adults, newlyweds, parents, empty nesters, retirees, teachers, students, engineers, first responders, doctors, nurses, pastors, and (most) all of us are way too busy!

Rest starts with reading (listening) to the Bible, hearing from God, and resting in Him.

God’s Word is His inerrant, inspired, preserved, and personal word to us. There’s no substitute for hearing from God directly by reading His love story for us that points us to His eternal Son whom we just celebrated at Christmas as Emmanuel – God With Us. It’s Jesus who says to us,

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I am lowly 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

YES! Weary and burdened people find rest in JESUS. “Easy” and “light.” I like the sound of that. The solution isn’t more time, it’s the secret of resting more in Jesus.

How? I need some help with that. And you probably do, too.

Rest in Jesus requires the ruthless elimination of hurry.

That’s where a book I finally found time to read last year about Jesus’ promise of rest has some great benefit for me and, hopefully, you, too, in 2024: “The Ruthless Elimination of ~~Hurry~~” by John Mark Comer. It’s not inspired by God’s Spirit like the Bible, but it is practical, helpful, and useful for the biggest threat to our spiritual, relational, and personal life: busyness.

We should be aware that Satan (a real enemy of God and therefore, us) strategically and tactfully wants to deceive us and distract from knowing, obeying, and living for God.

What tactic does he use the most in the 21^st century? Yep, busyness. How does he distract us from doing the best things — loving God and others? By keeping us active in pursing many good things that keep us from the most important things. How does Satan attack our hearts? Yep, hurry.

Comer provides four biblical, practical practices for the ruthless elimination of hurry in our lives:

Silence & Solitude
Sabbath Rest
Simplicity
Slowing

These aren’t legalistic rules of working to measure up, compare ourselves to others, earn favor with God, or please God, but spiritual disciplines that encourage us and help us in our walk with Him through dependence upon Him. He is our rest from weariness.

As I begin re-reading Comer’s book today at the beginning of the year, I’m inviting you to read it with me, along with reading through the Bible in 2024. Find “The Ruthless Elimination of ~~Hurry~~“ on Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you buy/download your books. Already read it? Then how about, “Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortlund? Or “Reset“ by David Murray (no relation).

Not a reader? Not enough time to read? Not a problem. You can listen to the Bible on the YouVersion App and listen to Comer’s book on Audible as you drive in the car or Spotify instead of scrolling thru social media on your phone.

In case you’re wondering, I’m not getting any kickbacks from Comer, Waterbrook or Random House Publishing, I’m trying (with God’s help) to kick hurry out of my heart and life. And encourage you to kick the habit, too.

In His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus encouraged the ruthless elimination of distractions and disobedience.

“If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away… And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away…”
Matthew 5:29–30.

If hurry and busyness are keeping us from rest in Jesus, then let’s be relentless throughout 2024 by ruthlessly eliminating hurry in our lives to find our rest in Him.

Follow me…as I follow Jesus Christ.