“The devil never rejoices more,” said Francis of Assisi, “than when he robs a servant of God of his peace of heart.” Peace and joy go a-begging when the heart of a Christian pants for one sign after another of God’s merciful love. Nothing is taken for granted, and nothing is received with gratitude. The troubled eyes and furrowed brow of the anxious believer are the symptoms of a heart where trust has not found a home. The Lord himself must pass through all the shades of the emotional spectrum with us—from rage to tears to amusement. But the poignant truth remains: we do not trust Him. We do not have the mind of Christ.
~ Brennan Manning
Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.” And again in this passage He said, “They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again He appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from His…. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account…. Since then we have a Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
~ The Encourager, in Hebrews 4
Oh beloved, it is true. We are a people most willing to be worried and frightened by the simplest of things. It almost seems that the things that actually happen to us are easier to handle than the things that won’t or might.
News that doesn’t come
Words that imply…
People who don’t respond
Things taking much longer than we expect
People who don’t understand our hearts.
And in all of this we become ready to condemn ourselves to the wrath of both G_d and ourselves. Oh, it is not that we are worried that makes Him angry. Actually, He is not angry with us at all. It is a much deeper problem that goes to the very heart of the Creator and His Great Love for us. G_d said, on the day that They made us, “Let us make man in Our own image.” And this impartation of godlike power upon us gave us the ability to choose our eternal destiny.
We could, as Designed – and as the G_dhead does – simply live in complete belief of who we are. We could come to a deep rest about our identity. In finding that rest, we would find the center of our power. Him. Christ Jesus, the Son, has made the path clear and plain. He Himself is our Rest. We have but to identify with Him in His death, and more importantly, in His risen Life that will have no end. And when we do, there is no end to what we will do from this position. We will do even greater things than Jesus did while He was on this earth.
However, we could forsake our Design. We could look away from the One Person who will give us rest, and try to find it on our own. However, that rest does not exist (nor does happiness or satisfaction or freedom or hope or Love or anything really). In looking away from Him, we are doomed to try and create our own little feudal pile outside of His Kingdom.
And yes, in the end, their will be wrath towards anyone who would set themselves up against the KING of kings and L_RD of lords. The foolishness of this type of effort will simply burn up in the blinding Light of His Goodness and Glory and Strength and Love. It simply will not stand; cannot stand, in His Presence. It will be cast away of its own inability to stay.
So what is the key? Can we see it? To enter into rest, is not to find a place that is comfortable. To enter into rest is to cease from trying to find that place and simply believe that you are already there in Him. However, once we do, we will surely do a whole lot of exciting things in, by and through Him.
We just gotta believe.
So, are you struggling with anxiety and feeling like you are not at rest in this life? The prognosis is not good at all if you continue down this path. Tonight is your night beloved. Look at the only One who can give you rest. Jesus.
Just believe.
