Earn your rest.
At some point in life, I must have adopted this belief because I find myself desperate for rest, and it always feels out of reach. I’m in a full and demanding season of life, one in which work is never finished. There is always something to do, and every day ends with a long list to continue the next day.
Does that mean there’s no rest to enjoy today? Where does the relief come when the work is never done, and the road feels long?
In a newsletter intended to encourage you in the important work of your life, we can’t ignore rest. We’re talking about relief or freedom from the things that weary you, refreshing quiet, trusting God, and the peace that only he can give.
Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest of your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”
Look, if you are the hard-working, strive-to-be-independent type… hey! I know you. But we are not meant to go it alone. God has made us dependent on him and on one another. When we think that all the work and all the outcomes are on our shoulders, how can we ever rest?
The brokenness within and around us is burdensome and leads to weariness. Jesus invites us to link arms with him because we are not meant to endure it all alone. We are not in control of all things. We must trust God with the things we want most deeply. The essential things that demand our daily attention and the mundane things we must do each day cannot distract us from the One who is at work in and through us.
You are called to work hard and trust God. You were created and rescued to enjoy rest today and forever—you’ve never needed to earn it.
When you trust God with the outcomes, your work can be done from a place of rest. You are in control of what you do and how you do it, but you are not in control of what the future holds.
So, throughout your days, seek those quiet, refreshing moments when you can remember God’s faithfulness, trust His provision, and continue your efforts joyfully. Earn your rest. No, friend. God has provided your rest. Trust Jesus for it all, and allow him to ease your burden in the way only he can.
Don’t let today’s efforts distract you from the rest that has been provided for you.
Brittany K. Miller 