There are three kinds of faith in Christ: 1. Struggling faith, like a man in deep water desperately swimming. 2. Clinging faith, like a man hanging to the side of a boat. 3. Resting faith, like a man safely within the boat (and able to reach out with a hand to help someone else get in).
~Dwight L. Moody
Come to me, all who labour 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
~ Jesus, King of The Universe, in Matthew 11
Oh beloved, it is true. There is for us a battle to be won. We, to a man, must stop fighting to be saved. For the saving is something that is already done. Jesus fought for us. And He did it quite well. Perfectly actually. He said:It is finished!
Still, we go on Fighting
Pushing
Trying
Struggling
Wishing
and Moving like we are trying to get G_d to accept us.
Beloved, we don’t deserve Him, He deserves us. The Father, with the Great Love with which He Loved us, sent His Son (who was eager to come). And this same Jesus poured out His blood to buy us from the market of sin and self. And then, They both sent Their very Spirit to live, both in us and through us, as we yield to His work in our lives.
Yielding
Staying
Abiding
Resting
Knowing
Waiting
These are the action-words of believers who have become the most powerful in their walks with Him. For a believer who has quit trying, and begun trusting, has found that they never really ever had any rhythm to dance the dance anyway. But when we let Him lead something happens. And the happening is amazing.
Somehow, in truly letting G_d lead, things start to get done. Bills get paid, people get Loved, and the good we do begins to yield fruit. But the most wonderful part of all of this is that G_d starts to look good to others. Those watching us (and there are many), really want to know if letting go is worth it. And when they see the effectiveness of an abiding believer – and the peace from which we operate – they are attracted to the One doing the work through us.
Can we see it? In learning to truly rest in Christ, we suddenly find that He was not kidding when He said that we would do things even greater than what He did, while He was here on this earth. We see that it is indeed better that He went to be with the Father, that His Spirit might dwell within us. He is always right. It just takes us a while to figure it out most of the time.
So, are you struggling to get your faith right? Are you wearing yourself out trying to serve Him? Perhaps it is time to stop. Tonight is your night beloved. Time to give Him your burden. Just put it down. You will be amazed at what He begins to do with you in a state of rest.
