Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all 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.â€
Rest does sound great, as I am sure many of us sit up late at night dwelling on our situation and about our wives. I know I sit many nights and pray until I cant keep my eyes open for my wife to find God and to come home. But resting just seems out of the question right? How can we rest if our minds wont stop, if we cant take the image of her leaving out of our heads. Its like my mind is a DVD that is scratched and keeps playing the same part over and over again. But Scott I have a Bluray and the picture in my head is more clear and its on repeat. OK mister technology correct, that's not the point. We need to rest in God, but what does resting in God mean?
Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."
We cant find rest if we are constantly feeling alone and weak. We need to seek His presence above all else, like it says in the top verse in Matthew 11:28 He is asking us to come to Him for rest. Praying to Him for help in short we need to depend on Him. I know what your thinking; Well that's all fine in dandy, but how do you come to Him when you cant see Him or feel Him? Well negative Nancy let me take you to a few verses to explain why we cant feel Him in these situations.
Luke 24: 13-32 "Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?†They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?†“What things?†he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,†they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.†He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?†And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.†So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?â€
Ok so I hope you see it there why we can't feel Him all the time. No you don't? Oh well I will explain a little then. The two disciples walking where joined my Jesus and they didn't even know it was Him who they where talking to. They where focused on the pain and what happened instead of what the Women told them about His resurrection. Even Jesus was saying how foolish they where being by still grieving, not until they saw Him break the bread did it all hit them. They where so into the situation and the grief of His death they didn't even know they where walking and talking with Him. That is our exact situation!! We are dwelling on our wives being gone, or leaving we fail to see God working right in front of us.
Ok next point, get comfortable because this is the biggest part of how to find rest. Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Once again we are talking about trusting in God, I wonder why? Well we need to trust in God for everything. Trust in God for faith and for rest. How can we rest and seek Him if we don't trust He is in control? We cant, so stop it mister! Just because it looks impossible to us doesn't mean it is for Him. Nothing is impossible with God at all, in fact when it seems impossible to us that's when He shines the most, it is almost like He is showing off saying "Look what I can do" Luke 18:27 "Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God."" So to have rest we must trust in God that he can handle this. We know His will is for marriages to work. If it is for love I guarantee He is for it, as long as you love Him above ALL ELSE.
So what is rest? It doesn't mean we take naps more, or be lazy. Not at all we still need to pray for our marriages every day in fact we don't stop praying until something happens (P.U.S.H), but we pray knowing God has it in control and He is on it. As we pray for our wives we can see God sitting on His thrown smiling at us saying "I got this". Rest is not stressing about it, instead of thinking about it all day take the time you used to dwell on your wife and start dwelling on God. Thanking Him for everything He has done in your life and I mean EVERYTHING. I bet if you sit down and think about what God has done for you the list will be endless. Trust in God and rest your mind be thankful not fearful.
I know these things are hard for us to do because we have our flesh. Well flesh is temporary our spirit is eternal. Start training your flesh to submit to the spirit, pray to God to lead in your spirit. Fast, pray show your flesh who is boss. Don't hurt yourself but make sure your flesh and your mind know who is in control..... God.
Thank You and God Bless
Rest does sound great, as I am sure many of us sit up late at night dwelling on our situation and about our wives. I know I sit many nights and pray until I cant keep my eyes open for my wife to find God and to come home. But resting just seems out of the question right? How can we rest if our minds wont stop, if we cant take the image of her leaving out of our heads. Its like my mind is a DVD that is scratched and keeps playing the same part over and over again. But Scott I have a Bluray and the picture in my head is more clear and its on repeat. OK mister technology correct, that's not the point. We need to rest in God, but what does resting in God mean?
Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."
We cant find rest if we are constantly feeling alone and weak. We need to seek His presence above all else, like it says in the top verse in Matthew 11:28 He is asking us to come to Him for rest. Praying to Him for help in short we need to depend on Him. I know what your thinking; Well that's all fine in dandy, but how do you come to Him when you cant see Him or feel Him? Well negative Nancy let me take you to a few verses to explain why we cant feel Him in these situations.
Luke 24: 13-32 "Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?†They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?†“What things?†he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,†they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.†He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?†And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.†So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?â€
Ok so I hope you see it there why we can't feel Him all the time. No you don't? Oh well I will explain a little then. The two disciples walking where joined my Jesus and they didn't even know it was Him who they where talking to. They where focused on the pain and what happened instead of what the Women told them about His resurrection. Even Jesus was saying how foolish they where being by still grieving, not until they saw Him break the bread did it all hit them. They where so into the situation and the grief of His death they didn't even know they where walking and talking with Him. That is our exact situation!! We are dwelling on our wives being gone, or leaving we fail to see God working right in front of us.
Ok next point, get comfortable because this is the biggest part of how to find rest. Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Once again we are talking about trusting in God, I wonder why? Well we need to trust in God for everything. Trust in God for faith and for rest. How can we rest and seek Him if we don't trust He is in control? We cant, so stop it mister! Just because it looks impossible to us doesn't mean it is for Him. Nothing is impossible with God at all, in fact when it seems impossible to us that's when He shines the most, it is almost like He is showing off saying "Look what I can do" Luke 18:27 "Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God."" So to have rest we must trust in God that he can handle this. We know His will is for marriages to work. If it is for love I guarantee He is for it, as long as you love Him above ALL ELSE.
So what is rest? It doesn't mean we take naps more, or be lazy. Not at all we still need to pray for our marriages every day in fact we don't stop praying until something happens (P.U.S.H), but we pray knowing God has it in control and He is on it. As we pray for our wives we can see God sitting on His thrown smiling at us saying "I got this". Rest is not stressing about it, instead of thinking about it all day take the time you used to dwell on your wife and start dwelling on God. Thanking Him for everything He has done in your life and I mean EVERYTHING. I bet if you sit down and think about what God has done for you the list will be endless. Trust in God and rest your mind be thankful not fearful.
I know these things are hard for us to do because we have our flesh. Well flesh is temporary our spirit is eternal. Start training your flesh to submit to the spirit, pray to God to lead in your spirit. Fast, pray show your flesh who is boss. Don't hurt yourself but make sure your flesh and your mind know who is in control..... God.
Thank You and God Bless
