Receiving Rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28 NIV

Suggested Readings: Matthew 11:28-30, Exodus 16, 32, 33

Organizing is one of my favorite things to do when I'm needing to feel refreshed or if I need to clear my mind. If I'm really stressed or frustrated, you'll find me in my closet pulling everything out, purging, cleaning, and putting everything back by color and category. This happens quite often even if my closet doesn't need cleaning and organizing. Hmm...I guess I get stressed a lot.

Recently, because I have had the time, I've been organizing drawers and cabinets and storage boxes. {It's truly amazing what organizing does for you psychologically!} As I was cleaning out a storage box of medicines and beauty supplies, I looked at one of the products and saw the expiration date. It said it expired in January of 2006. 2006!! Why am I hanging onto something that expired 17 years ago and has become useless since?! On top of that, I had so many things in that box that I never have used but thought maybe I would some day.

Well, I can honestly tell you that some day I will never use any of those products because they've been sitting in that box under my bed for years, and I haven't even missed them. Why do I hang onto these things? They're just taking up space, weighing me down, and causing more work in my life. So it got me thinking...what else am I hanging onto that has expired, is purposeless, weighing me down, and causing more work in my life? What about you? Got anything that you've been hanging onto?

When you look at the story of the Israelites in the book of Exodus, you'll see a similar pattern of behavior. They, too, had a lot of stuff that they were carrying around. Useless stuff. Purposeless stuff. Expired stuff. They often begged Moses to let them go back to Egypt--the place of captivity--as if they were better off there because of their "stuff"! Lord, help us! Let us not desire a place of captivity! But isn't that what we are wanting if we are hanging onto things like hurt, rejection, mistakes, failures, bad habits, sinful pleasures, toxic relationships, bitterness, unforgiveness, and anger?

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Notice the invitation to come to Him and what He will give you when you do.

I've been heavy laden with a lot of stuff lately. This verse hits me differently than it has before. Before, I considered it more of a verse to remind me when I'm absolutely feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and overextended that I can go to Jesus and find rest. It's definitely fitting for those feelings and reassuring; but as I'm reflecting on what "stuff" I'm hanging onto that has expired, has no purpose, and has not been missed, I'm seeing that these are the things that are burdening me more and these are the things I need to give to Jesus so that I can receive His rest.

Deep hurt, for example, while necessary to feel and process, is not something He wants me to hang onto. Healing and joy comes with rest. But I can't receive anything He gives if I'm not willing to let go of what I'm holding onto. Neither can you.

The journey to the Promise Land was difficult and even longer than expected for the Israelites, but the LORD was with them every step of the way. During that journey, God provided for them, instructed them to get rid of the old, expired ways of living and to honor the Sabbath. He invited them to follow Him and to trust Him, and He made a covenant with them to be His people. God has never promised an easy life for any of His followers. He has promised an abundant life, a restful life, a protected life, and a life always in His presence. "The Lord replied, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'" (Exodus 33:14 NIV)

Rest is offered to us. It's up to us to receive it, but it'll require going through our "stuff" and letting go anything expired and not of Him and His plan for us. Trust me, if and when you do let go, you'll feel so refreshed, so free, and so much lighter. You'll also be making more room for Jesus to fill you more completely.

The journey gets better, dear friends. There is joy ahead. Keep the faith.