HOW DO WE FIND REST IN GOD?
Notes
Transcript
Illus.: Talk about how over the last couple of months our society has seen a skyrocketing of depression, anxiety and restlessness. People are restless like never before. Their routine has been disrupted. The normal flow of life has been changed.
This restlessness has resulted in an onslaught of...
home improvement projects
super good looking landscape
family movie binges
more family game nights
It’s also resulted in...
the propagation of conspiracy theories
marital and family conflict
social outrage
& strife among friends
So, how do we deal with the restlessness that many of us are experiencing?
I want to invite you to join me in looking at something that Jesus said in Matthew 11...
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.
That is easier said than done. It makes a nice wall hanging, but how do we do what Jesus said here.
HOW DO WE FIND REST IN GOD?
HOW DO WE FIND REST IN GOD?
I want to share with you three things that we see in Scrpture that help us find rest in God...
(1) BE STILL BEFORE GOD.
(1) BE STILL BEFORE GOD.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
This call of stillness from this psalmist is a pretty big order in our ADD, fast-paced, high-speed world. The truth is - it's difficult to be still.
Illus.: Have you ever tried to be still and do nothing but focus on God? It's tough. Here is what happens to me. I get still and then I start to think about what I have to do that day. Then ask God to forgive me. I get still again and then I start to think about a conversation I had the day before or a conversation that I need to have that day. I ask God to forgive me, and the cycle starts all over again.
It's tough being still before God, but it's totally worth it.
In Psalm 131:2 we read...
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
When some of you read that verse, you are thinking that there is no way that you could ever quiet the restlessness that you feel inside. Yet, this verse promises us the same thing that Jesus said in Matthew 11. It promises us rest if we will simply BE STILL.
Illus.: I usually sleep real well. I am the kind of sleeper that makes most folks mad. I can lay my head down the pillow and be asleep in like 5 minutes. I know, please don't throw anything. However, when Julie is not at home I have a hard time going to sleep. I don't know why that is other than it gives me comfort to know that she is near.
If we would learn to be still before God, we would realize that our God is near.
(2) WAIT FOR GOD.
(2) WAIT FOR GOD.
Waiting seems like all that we’ve been doing lately. However, it is one of the most fundamental thing that God calls his people to do in Scriptture...
In Psalm 37:7 we read...
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
Not only are we to be still before God, but we also need to learn to wait for God.
This is really tough for many of us who want answers like yesterday. I know I have a difficult time waiting.
Illus.: I remember the first time I went clothes shopping with Julie. I remember wondering why she was taking so long in the dressing room. Then she came out one outfit at a time and showed me the outfits. I told her I like them. Then she put them all up and went to get some different outfits. I was thinking - how long is this going to take? The answer is - long than I wanted it to take.
There is a difference between waiting for people and waiting on God.
In Psalm 130:5-6 we read...
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
What does the psalmist mean by - my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning?
Illus.: My grandfather was in WWII. He was stationed in the South Pacific. He told me many stories on his time in the war. It was so fascinating to me as a kid. I miss those times. Anyway, I remember his telling me of having to take the nightwatch for his platoon. He said that they night watchman would stay on duty until the sun rose. I asked him if it was hard to be on nightwatch. He said it was okay, because he knew the sunrise was coming.
Here's the difference in waiting on people and waiting on God. People will fail you, but God will not. If you wait on Him, He will move on your behalf.
(3) REMEMBER GOD’S GOODNESS.
(3) REMEMBER GOD’S GOODNESS.
In Psalm 116:7-9 we read...
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
As we read these verses we see that the psalmist was remembering all the ways that the Lord has been good to him. Check it out again.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
We all need to remember God's goodness to us.
Illus.: Not too long ago my youngest son was complaining of not having anything to wear. So, being the really cool dad that I am I walked into his room opened his drawers and closet. I pointed out to him that he had way more than he realized.
Many of us find ourselves restless and wanting more, because we don't realize what we have right in front of us. Instead of always wanting and desiring more, we need to remember what God has done for us.
Illus.: This morning I was reflecting on this idea and I came up with the following list of 10 things that God has done for me.
1. He saved me from my sin.
2. He gave me a beautiful and godly wife.
3. He blessed me with two wonderful boys who he saved as well.
4. He called & gifted me to be a pastor.
5. He has called me to be pastor of a wonderful church family.
6. He has given me some great friends to do ministry with.
7. He has allowed me to see lives changed.
8. He has never once given up on me.
9. He had allowed me to make mistakes.
10. He loves me inspite of my sin.
I want to encourage you to make your own list this week sometime.
YOU
So, what now?
Today, some of you here feel a constant restlessness in your soul. The reason you feel that restlessness is due to the fact that you have not become a follower of Jesus Christ. You have not found the forgivness of sin that only Jesus can offere. Let me tell you about that. It's not about trying to earn your way to God. God paid the way for you to come to Him through his Son Jesus. If you will simply turn from your sin and believe in Him, you will have rest for your soul.
Some of you here today are followers, but you have allowed the busyness of this life to distrub your rest. Today, I want to invite you to BE STILL.