Entering God's Rest

Happy New Year!! I hope you guys had an awesome Christmas and that your year is off to a great start! Let today's post be a reminder to embrace God's perfect rest in 2025.

Have you ever thought about how much we worry?

We worry about fitting in, where we’ll go to school, financial security, and climate change. We worry about the government, crime, and the economy. We even worry about our favourite sports team or our phone battery getting low. Though some of these examples are legitimate causes for concern, my point is this: we worry a lot!

           However, God has not called us to live a worry-filled life that leaves us stressed and anxious. Quite the opposite! Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry about or lives. For if God takes care of the birds of the air and the flowers of the fields, will He not take care of His children? Our Heavenly Father knows our every need and will fulfill them if we seek His kingdom first.

            Worry is a tool the enemy uses to distract us from God’s power and faithfulness. When we worry, we are ultimately saying that we do not trust God to meet our needs or guide us.

            So, how do we not worry? After all, worrying is as natural as walking or breathing for many of us. Let’s take a look at some practical examples of living a worry-free life.

         Living Life Worry-Free

            My pastor once said, “What is over your head is under His feet.” Though something may be out of your control, nothing is outside our omnipotent God’s control.

            Therefore, when something goes wrong in life, you don’t have to let worry and frantic thoughts fill your mind. Instead, take a deep breath and ask God to help you remember that He will work everything together for our good (Romans 8:28).

            Rather than panicking about crazy grocery prices or the rising cost of living, trust that God our Provider will supply our every need (Philippians 4:19).

            Instead of worrying about what you should do after graduation or about what will happen in this new year, trust that God is able to guide you one step at a time into His perfect will (see Isaiah 58:11).

            We can choose to control our thoughts and emotions. Will you use them to glorify God?

Enter God’s Rest           

            Worrying about something means that we spend too much time thinking about it. This can lead to our feeling tired, emotionally and mentally. It may even lead to a headache and stomach ache or even hives and an accelerated heartbeat.

            Therefore, when we surrender our problems and worry to God, knowing that He cares for us and has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), He gives us rest for our hearts, minds, souls, and even bodies.

            As Hebrew 4:11 says, let us make every effort to enter God’s rest.

            Jesus died so that we could be free. This includes freedom from worry and anxiety. The next time worry and anxious thoughts enter our minds, let’s cast our cares on our loving Lord and choose to trust Him instead.

            Let’s do it together.

            -Olivia