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How many times have we heard someone exclaim, "Oh! I need a rest..."! In an effort to claim tongue-in-cheek sympathy, someone may comment, "well, there IS no rest for the wicked (quoting a passage from scripture), and the righteous don’t need it!". It may or may not be a joke, depending on the people and circumstances. It seems so often, no matter where we go or who we encounter, we hear "I’m just - tired", or as I heard recently, "I need a vacation!". Vacations are seldom long enough. It is said that it requires at least two weeks for the body to wind down enough for a repair even to begin. The universal feeling of tiredness. - it is heard more and more, with each passing day, week, month and year - especially in the economic and social environment of today.

There is more than one "tired". And more than one apparent cause. Some experts believe that the mental/emotional state of tiredness is actually the most common. And it is the most dangerous and the most debilitating, at least in the long run. This tiredness comes under the general heading of "stress". It is claimed by some that this stress has caused the premature death of more people than all of the recognized physical diseases combined. There seems to be a reciprocal cause and effect relationship between the physical and the mental/emotional, a kind of interplay between them. One thing can be said about them all - in one form or another, they all affect us. And if none of them kill us, death surely will...

There is another tiredness - a kind of tiredness and weariness of the soul - the wear and tare at our very being. This tiredness defies identification in human terms. It can be as though there is a battle within that cannot be described. What is more, our conscious awareness is unable even to enter into the fray, or to devise a defense. We feel powerless even to negotiate a peaceful settlement of this war within. As someone has said, we are "scared to death and afraid to run"! But the battle rages. It seems to continue, unrelenting, indecisive. And it tires us. Times of respite and restfulness are inadequate, or very temporary. Real rest seems to elude us. This is the tiredness that every true Christian experiences, in varying degree and intensity. Some find comfort in contemporary songs of worship with words like "you can get out from under your heavy load when you get home...!" It is the "tiredness" that the Apostles referred to, especially the Apostle Paul (Romans 7; 2 Corinthians 1:8-11). The stress of doing spiritual "battle" in resisting the forces of evil can take its toll. Satan has many methods of chasing and attacking us (2 Corinthians 2:11).

But there is a "rest" for the true child of God that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7). It is akin to the peace that God gives that can pass all human understanding or description (Isaiah 26:2-3). Peace and rest are intimately related in Christ, the Prince of Peace. So why should there be such little real rest? Perhaps we have been struggling against the wrong enemy, in the wrong way...Satan is the great deceiver. Everything right has been counterfeited or hidden in one way or another. He seldom makes a frontal assault on us. What may appear right to us, may in reality be the opposite of the right way - unless. Here, the word "unless" is the key to rest! Notice this shocking statement:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:5-8)

Sometimes, as the proverb goes, we need to meet the real enemy, "and he is us". It is often affirmed, and truthfully so, that Satan can do nothing that God does not allow him to do. There is a parallel to this truism. Satan can do nothing to us that we do not allow him to do. If we are double minded, unfocused on Jesus Christ, and preoccupied with ourselves, this duplicity will tire us, and sap our energy - spiritually and physically. Our faith weakens. This can cut us off from that which we could receive from God. We have forgotten to go into battle with our "shield" (Ephesians 6:16), Past articles have addressed the Word of God (see archives). The Word of God, the Bible, is referred to in Ephesians 6 as the "sword of the Spirit". A friend abruptly turned around to reenter his home upon leaving for church,. As he rushed away he called out, "Oh no!...I forgot my sword". Are you taking your sword with you everywhere you go (the enemy is not far behind you all the time)? Is it being written on your heart and mind (Jeremiah 31:33)? A prayerful reading of Ephesians 6 provides much insight on entering our rest. There is protection and relief under the yoke of Jesus. The armor can then be comfortably worn:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Will you really believe that a "yoke" can provide you with the rest that will be rest indeed:? Are you laboring for that which does not really profit (Jeremiah 2:8)? Real relief and rest can come only from God. It can come only from Him because He created rest (Genesis 2:2). Only He possesses Rest, so only He can give rest. Are you tired - tired because of issues, worries, fears, apprehensions, that only you and God know. Perhaps it seems that there is no way to even understand them, much less find rest from them. Jesus does understand. The way to rest from all these things is under His yoke, because and to enter into His labors. If you enter into His labors, you also enter into His Rest. Soon you sense that He is pulling most of your load. As we enter into His labors, we enter into His consolations. You can then find peace, assurance, and continuous trust, hope and assurance in His love. You will find a real rest - a continual rest - that you have never known. One that you can never grow weary of ( Isaiah 46:4).

Enter His rest. It is there that you will enter your rest (Hebrews 4:10). And the best part: it will last forever...

"THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake. Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with [oil; my [brimming] cup runs over. Surely goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place." - Psalm 23 (AmBible)

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

Honoring A Father