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According to the “The Sleep Foundation,” almost half of all Americans say that they feel tired during the day at least 3 days a week and up to as much as 7 days a week. 35% of Americans say that they get less than seven hours sleep per night. Believe it or not women suffer from some sort of insomnia or sleep deprivation as much as 40% more frequently than men do. My wife Joyce is the perfect example of this. It took me years to convince her that she quit breathing in her sleep. She would snore loudly and then all of the sudden it was like someone was holding their hands over her mouth and nose and suffocating her. Her body would convulse as she gasped for air. I would shake her and wake her up so she would start breathing again, then to repay me for for my act of kindness she would yell at me and say, “why are you waking me up in the middle of the night.” I finally got her to go to the doctor for a sleep study and she learned that she needed a C-Pap. Once she started getting a good nights sleep she started telling me I snored and stopped breathing in the night. My wife, together with my parents finally convinced me to get a sleep study and now we both use a C-Pap to sleep. Sleep plays an integral role in our health. A good night’s sleep empowers the body to recover and lets you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV “Come to me, all you 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 for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Rest is essential for us in many ways. Without rest—and more specifically sleep—our mind and body are unable to function the way they were designed. We become unhealthy as our bodies go into chaos attempting to simply survive. The same goes for the rest Jesus provides, without it we begin to lean on ourselves and away from Jesus, driving our bodies and minds alike to exhaustion.
Resting in Jesus is more than just a physical halt from activity. It is laying everything down at His feet and trusting that He will and has already done the work, all we need to offer is our obedience. We live in a world that promotes hustle and full schedules. There is always another project to tackle, another item on our to-do lists, another goal to accomplish. We often idolize our busy schedules and even boast about weariness. We compare our schedules to others to see who is “doing more.”
So what is the difference between worldly rest and biblical rest? Rest for the world often looks like a face mask, a TV binge, or a glass of wine after dinner a do nothing day. While these things can be enjoyable, they give a false, sense of rest. Jesus specifically offers rest for our souls. This goes beyond physical rest, like sleep, or winding down from a long day with the TV and comfort food. The rest Jesus gives is unlike any other, reaching to the depths of our heart and soul. There is no striving in Jesus. He has already finished all the work that needs to be done, all He asks is that we come to Him and let Him do the work He so desires to do in our hearts.
Psalm 46:10 NIV Be still and know that I am God!
The next time you find yourself burning the candle at both ends just stop and say this prayer. Jesus, I come to You and ask for Your rest and peace. I pray you lift this burden off of my shoulders. Allow me to sit in Your presence and let You do all of the work. I pray you mold me into Your image, instilling in me a restful spirit. Let me radiate Your peace to others, even in the midst of chaos of this world, and show me how to to walk down the path of your perfect rest. Amen.
