Looking for rest in the wrong places, in the wrong ways

Published 8:12 am Saturday, May 20, 2023

Dear Rev. Graham: I make my living as a tech freak and admit that I spend hours each day on my devices. But I’m getting weary of it all and find myself going through each day groaning as I click from one site to the other. I try to pull away, but the instant connection to the world draws me in and has invaded even my personal time. I feel addicted! – T.W.

Dear T.W.: Few people know how to rest these days. Even on vacation, many people rush to cram in as much as they can before returning to their jobs, where they spend twice as much energy catching up on the work and mail that has piled up in their absence. Many of us need vacations just to rest from our vacations! Perhaps we look for rest in the wrong places, or in the wrong ways.

Jesus said, “Come to Me … and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Rest can be found only in one place and from one source – the Lord Jesus Christ. When we rest – truly rest – we place our confidence in something outside of ourselves. We acknowledge that while there is work to do, it will eventually be done. But there’s nothing more important, at times, than resting and thinking about anything but work, and to think about the Lord will be even a greater investment. As we contemplate the all-powerful Lord of our lives, we can rest in the knowledge that Christ is watching over all things.

We need rest even from the news headlines that constantly bombard our minds. When we turn our thoughts to the Lord Jesus, He gives us the ultimate rest, the confidence we need to escape the frustration and chaos of the world around us. Rest in Him and do not worry about what lies ahead. Jesus Christ has already taken care of tomorrow.

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