There is nothing like God’s rest by Deborah Lassiter

When you’ve had enough with life, who do you run to when you are feeling discouraged, frustrated or trapped? Prior to me having a personal relationship with God, I have to admit I ran to every friend, every family member and every church member that would listen to me, in the hope of finding some kind of relief for my woes. Unfortunately, the lament that I often poured out onto loved ones was one-sided and, frankly, however I remembered the situation I was going through, any advice provided to me never really seemed to help or give me peace.

The restless nights, combined with the early morning stress, took their toll on me, leaving me depleted in physical strength and mental exhaustion. I will never forget when I needed to speak to my sister and, due to her needing to spend more time with her daughter, she could not talk to me as much that day. I nearly collapsed on the floor! What was I going to do without my daily source of conversation which I leaned on for encouragement? My sister had often poured into me while she built me up and encouraged me, and now it appeared as if I was not going to have that or, worse, I would have to wait. What do you do when the things and people you have leaned on to make it through the day, can no longer be there for you, or play the role you have designed for them to play in your life? Who do you look to for replenishment and renewal of mind and spirit, so that you too can function without the tsunami of emotions threatening to take you down on a daily basis?

I had no choice but to really lean on the triune God for guidance and strength, rather than rely on the smoke-and-mirror commitment I had offered to God previously. You know the kind of relationship: where you have one foot in and the other foot out, and you’re ready to dash back to your old life at a moment’s notice if God makes a ‘false move’ or doesn’t do what you want Him to do. It is funny the rules and terms we place on God, attempting to coerce, manipulate, or force Him to follow through on our requests: ‘He had better quickly resolve our situations, or else we won’t follow Him nor believe in Him anymore.’ I have to ask, how is that genie in a lamp working out for you? Has he appeared yet? Probably not…

I didn’t know it then, but when my sister could not speak to me that day, it was an opportunity for God to be the King of my life. It was an opportunity for God and me to start afresh and, because I was in need emotionally, spiritually and physically, God actually had my full attention and He could teach me, mould me and guide me as He had been longing to do. What do you do when you have occupied every waking moment with stuff – like texting, working, stress, doubt, school events, play dates, friends, travelling, arguing and fighting – that you have left little to no room to talk to God? What do you do when you look back over your life, and discover that you never asked God for His thoughts about any of the choices you made, but you were all too eager to blame Him for the outcome of all that has gone wrong? It is no wonder, as people, that we find ourselves depleted and exhausted, like I had been, for we have filled our lives with places and faces, and not enough devotion, reverence and obedience to God.

For Jesus said, “Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

When I discovered this Scripture in a consignment shop (similar to second-hand shop/pawn brokers here), all I could do was purchase it and cry as I placed it on a wall in my home. In the past, I had run to everyone but Jesus for peace, tranquility and reassurance, but Jesus said to come to Him, something I was not always doing nor trusting. Who are you going to and applying pressure on, begging to save you when they are no saviour? Who are you running to, hoping to heal you, instead of going to the One who died for you and was born to save you?

This Scripture continues to bring comfort to me, because it is only He who can calm your nerves; it is only He who can make it better; it is only He who knows the full story, and it is only He who can cradle you, kiss your forehead, and carry you in the eye of the storm. Jesus promises that He will give you rest, and the only thing you need to do is believe and trust in Him.

I ran to Jesus that day and I have never looked back. I ran to Him and rested at His feet; He picked me up and held me, loved me and told me it was all going to be okay. For it is because of Jesus that I am no longer burdened nor weary, neither lost nor in need of the various opinions and advice to make it through the day. All I can do is bow my head and praise God, for His promises are as solid as rock, and His words are the lamp unto my feet. Thank You, Jesus, for showing me, in Your arms, that there is nothing like God’s rest.

Deborah Lassiter, Founder of DCL Ministries

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