“Come to Me, all you 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.”” Matthew 11:28-29 NKJV
The quickest way to dismiss the promises of Christ is to read them and disbelieve them.
The quickest way to dismiss the promises of Christ is to read them and disbelieve them. There is no surer way to have us be excluded from Christ’s peace and rest than to simply go about things our own way. Even if we are born again, we can allow hidden stubbornness to take root within our soul. We can say, “It’s not that simple to have peace. It’s not that easy to gain rest. I need to make it work.” There is a partial truth in placing the burden of “working” on oneself. We are instructed and commanded to work and not simply be passive. The idea behind working is taking proper actions within what we can control. The message behind obtaining peace is that we take our burdens to Christ. In return, He gives us His yoke. This yoke is His Word. When we stay in it, we can become at peace.
It is always in the post-trial that we see the reason for why things happened, see our overstressed response, or reflect on what we wish we could have done.
It is through taking the time to read, listen, and study God’s Word that we will draw supernatural peace to our soul. It will give us clarity and vision to know that our troubles will eventually wither away. They are not final. They are merely temporal trials within time. Soon after the difficulty, we will have time for reflection. Things will relatively turn back to what they once were. There may be a change of lifestyle, but nonetheless, the stress that once was will be gone. It is always in the post-trial that we see the reason for why things happened, see our overstressed response, or reflect on what we wish we could have done.
When situations and circumstances are outside our control, we choose to spend the remainder of the time worrying, rather than being productive.
It is ironic that in every stressful time, when situations and circumstances are outside our control, we choose to spend the remainder of the time worrying, rather than being productive. We would rather allow ourselves to be ruled by present phenomena, than to be guided by Christ’s promises. ““Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”” (Matthew 6:25 NKJV). How much more is each person’s life, compared to food to eat for the day and clothes to the body? Is it not God, Who through His Omniscience and Omnipotence, arranged the world in such a way where freewill creatures would fulfill His Divine will? If He can orchestrate such a complex design of infinite variations and circumstances, then we can trust our life to Him and expect Him to come through according to His will.
When it comes to prayers being answered, just because we cannot see or hear does not mean that it has not already begun to take place.
It is not until we submit our senses to God and allow His Holy Spirit to lead us to God’s Word that we will begin to experience God’s peace. This is not a mystical experience, but rather one of simplicity. God’s Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). Just because we cannot see or hear does not mean that it has not already begun to take place. Those who choose to read the Word of God in the morning and/or at night will begin to see a change. They will feel themselves not being as concerned or worried about circumstances. This change happens when time is taken in the Word. When we read God’s Word, it begins to sink within us. Whether we know it or not is unnecessary. What is sufficient are its benefits. Benefits of peace and rest, but also growth in character and virtue.
Sometimes the only way for God to draw men to Him is through affliction and the unknown.
Sometimes the only way for God to draw men to Him is through affliction and the unknown. The good life has conquered many and have led towards a life of idleness and complacency. It takes a disruption of routine in order for us to allow God to once again rule our life. For it is in the blessing of God that both blessing and curse are found. They are a curse not by His hand, but by our response. As soon as we begin to enter the good life, our past reflections of seeking God’s assistance and His Divine hand moving mountains fades. We no longer remember the past. We live in the luxury of the present and our desire to seek God dwindles. Why? Because we have all we desire. “Thank you God, but I will take it from here” is the subconscious response. We must never allow this to linger or take root. We must always seek the Lord in prayer.
We must desire to be awake during all times of the spiritual life. We must lay down our lethargic attitude towards the Universal Source of all creation.
For prayer is not a request, but a praise. It is not just talking, but listening. It is not just about us, but it is about Him and others. Will we heed the call of prayer before God willfully permits suffering to enter into our life? Time will tell, but we must desire to be awake during all times of the spiritual life. We must lay down our lethargic attitude towards the Universal Source of all creation. We must once again pray for the fear and reverence of God as we desire to walk the path of peace and purity.
We must deny ourselves of the necessity of always being in control. We must lay our burdens at the Cross and endure the suffering that God has permitted within our life.
Let us therefore conclude to not “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Let us cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). We must deny ourselves of the necessity of always being in control. We must lay our burdens at the Cross and endure the suffering that God has permitted within our life. This is the place where virtue is obtained, spiritual awakenings occur, and peace may flow once again.
Seek our Heavenly Father in the midst of the storm. He is waiting for our hearts to turn back to Him. He is waiting to satisfy our thirst with Living Water as we wait for Him to do what only He can do.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, You are the God of Infinite Goodness and Knowledge. You alone know what is best for us. You do not permit things to happen in our life without a purpose. May we see that, O Lord. May we allow that truth to sink deep within our soul. We don’t need a reason, for You are the Reason for all things. You save men from damnation and you deliver them from evil. You call mankind to come before Your Throne and believe on You. O Lord, touch us with Divine peace. Fill our hearts with the Blood of Christ. May every beat be directed towards His love, power, and Divinity. If He was so willing to endure suffering in this life, help us to do the same. We know not why or how we will get out, but we don’t need to know. We come before You with child-like faith, knowing You will protect Your children. Fill us with patience and the humility to submit to Your will. No matter the times, we trust in You and wait upon You. Work miracles, O Lord, and reveal Your faithfulness to mankind. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine
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