Friday, May 16, 2008

My Encounter Journey (Day 26)

Today's Scriptures are Matthew 11:28-30. I love to sleep. But I can only do it for so long. I remember when I was young, I could sleep till noon. But now I can hardly sleep past 7:00AM. I'm not quite sure what that is.

There have been times when I couldn't sleep. My mind was too busy. I wanted to sleep. I would lay down in bed and go through all the motions, but all I would end up doing is tossing and turning and staring at the ceiling.

When you want to sleep and you can't sleep, it is a real drag. What Jesus is talking about is that ability to be able to have your mind calmed down and be able to lay down quietly and comfortably and fall asleep.

I love that. That sounds so relaxing, so comforting. There have been times where it was just so hard to turn my mind off. But Jesus can do that. He offers complete rest. Rest from worry. Rest from stress. Rest from conflict. Rest from health issues. Rest from any and all things that life can throw at us.

The only issue I take with what this Scripture said, Jesus claims in it that "His yoke is easy." I want to take issue with that. I have been through enough in my short time here on earth to discover that is not always the case. I have been through very difficult times as His follower. Why would He say that?

The only thing I can gather is that in those times where I really was struggling as His follower and things were hard (not easy), it was because I wasn't resting in Him. I was working. I was doing. I was performing.

Jesus wasn't able to help me because I was too busy doing His work without letting Him help me. Then you can't rest. Your mind can't slow down. You end up worrying.

I want to have my Savior minister to me so that He can minister to others through me. Until that happens, I will have trouble sleeping.

"Heavenly Father, thank you for the peace, the rest, the comfort that you offer to us. Help me to relax. Help me to really abide in you. In Jesus' Name."

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