The Principle of Rest
Sometimes we get very tired doing life and even with serving God, so I want to talk a minute about how to find rest in God and the principle of rest.
The principle of rest can be seen from the very beginning of creation.
Our Creator Father, in whose image we are made, on the seventh day of creation, “ceased from labor and was refreshed” (Exod 31:17).
According to Hebrew scholars, the original Hebrew word for “refreshed” can be rendered “he took a breath.” [1]
God’s example, in the beginning, indicates His intention for humanity to stop and “catch their breath,” to refresh themselves physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
In the Garden of Eden, our first parents were put into a safe, sacred, and restful place of fellowship in God’s peaceful presence (Gen 2:8,15).
The word translated “placed/put” literally translated means “set to rest”.
Thus, our Creator Father put Adam and Eve in the Garden of His refreshing, restful presence.
The principle of rest is holy, and when we surrender ourselves to God’s care, we experience holy rest, peace, and safety.
Unrest comes when we as men and women take ourselves, even unwittingly, out of God’s care.
God’s original intention was that we live this ideal life of rest and peace in His presence.
A Day of Rest in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, after many years in slavery, the children of Israel had forgotten the ancient principle of rest.
God rescued them from brutal taskmasters who refused to allow them to rest.
So, lest they forget again, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, which instituted an entire day of rest for body, soul, and spirit.[2]
However, even when the people obeyed the commandments with their outward lives, most of them continued to disbelieve in their hearts.
For forty years God was angry with that generation in the wilderness, because they were stubborn, disobedient, and would not believe. They did not understand God’s ways, nor did they try. Very few honored Him with their heart.
Thus, they did not enter the rest God had available for them to enter.[3]
The nation of Israel missed their opportunity to find God’s intended rest.
God swore that they would never enter into His rest because they chose to follow their own willful ways rather than God’s ways.
Finding Kingdom Rest Now
Even though most of the people in Moses’ day did not find the rest of God, the principle and promise of God’s rest continue to exist as a perpetual covenant for believers today.
It is God’s provision for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
God has and will remain faithful to His promises to take care of His people. There is complete rest, not only at the end of our journey, but here on earth right now as well![4]
The Sabbath day of rest was a physical and perpetual covenant reminder of God’s principles for life.[5]
These same principles of rest were introduced in creation, lived in the Garden of Eden, and then again reiterated in the Ten Commandments.
The Sabbath Rest was the sign of God’s eternal covenant of care for His people.
However, in our day and age, Jesus, Himself, is to be our Sabbath rest.[6]
Jesus promises a greater rest than what Moses or Joshua promised.
Jesus, as the last Adam, is our rest and peace.
He is the life-giving, refreshing spring of living water who lives inside all true believers.[7]
The seventh-day rest that commemorated the end of creation week and Garden rest were types and shadows of the kind of heart-rest we enjoy in an intimate covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.
Jesus completed the redemptive work by restoring the original rest that Adam and Eve forfeited in the Garden.
This is a rest of spirit, soul, and body for those who renounce their own works and trust in the finished work of Jesus.[8]
The writer of Hebrews states,
“For the one who has entered His [Jesus’] rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His” (Heb 4:10).
I also like The Passion Translation here,
“As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works, just as God celebrates his finished works and rests in them” (Heb 4:10 TPT).
When we rest from pushing our own way and agenda, we are free to accept God’s perfect stress-less agenda.
When we rest from our own striving to produce results and please people, we can trust in God’s ability to provide supernaturally.
The Sabbath is a gift from God to His people.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way,
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG).
Abiding in His Presence Brings Rest
This God-kind of rest is not like our idea of rest.
We may think of rest as being relaxation or idleness, but God-rest is living in full alignment (unity) with God—body, soul, and spirit.
All creation was established to flow in union and oneness with its Creator. Union with God is peace and rest.
The principle of rest doesn’t mean being lazy, it does mean doing God’s will God’s way.
The problem for many believers is we have not learned how to access or stay in the place of God’s rest or peace.
It takes practice to learn how to live freely and lightly in His abiding rest daily. It takes practice to choose rest over striving.
The promise of God’s rest is available in and through our relationship with Christ.
We should be careful not to miss the opportunity.
It seems the only striving acceptable is to push aside all that hinders and make space for Jesus in our daily lives.
How do I find rest in God?
We are to be diligent to make sure our relationship with our Lord is our first priority.
The key to living continuously in God’s rest is to have ongoing interactions with Him.
We take all our cares to Him, depend on Him, and wait expectantly in His presence.
During times in His presence, He strengthens and provides all that is necessary for life and godliness.
Through prayer in His presence, we receive strategies and direction for what to do and when.
In His presence is peace and joy!
In His presence is rest from struggle to force things in our abilities (flesh).
In His presence, we take the position of dependence on Him for all our needs.
For He always gives the best ideas and strategies!
I don’t know about you, but I continually come back to these principles.
We are all growing step by step, day by day, from one glorious moment to another!
Action Steps for How to Live in Rest and Peace
To rest is to rely on the Lord God and to turn your cares over to the One who has intended to carry them from the very beginning.
We are the ones who try to carry our troubles by ourselves, and they are just too heavy for us to carry alone!
Even in the hardest of circumstances, we can find the flowing springs of living water inside. We can find a place of peace and rest in the inner garden of our soul.
It takes practice to connect with the peace of God in peaceful times so that when we get to the hectic times, we can find His peace and rest there as well.
Exercise Steps:
Step 1. What three things are troubling you at this very moment?
Step 2. Come before the Lord humbly and tell Him you give them to Him. Repent for worrying or trying to work things out on your own. Ask for His opinion on the matter and direction for your next step.
Step 3. In this exercise, practice hearing from God through journaling like we learned earlier. Focus on Him and write what comes from your heart at this moment. Notice the peace and rest of His loving presence. Stay in this place as long as possible.
If you take the time to practice this skill every day, soon you will absolutely begin to see more and more peace in your life!
My Prayer for You: Lord, thank you for these special ones who long for Your kind of rest. I release rivers of living water to flow in their lives. I pray they are refreshed with times of refreshing and strengthening by the Holy Spirit. I pray You answer their hearts’ desire, and may answers come swiftly. I ask you bring strength, comfort, and peace. In Jesus, name. Amen.
If you are interested to read more, you can find the book on Amazon here.
Related Posts:
The Eden Life with God at the Center
Just Breathe: The Significance of the Saying
What Does God’s Presence Feel Like?
Notes:
[1] S. R. Driver, “Ex 31:16–17,” Exodus; quoted in The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), 345.
[2] Exod 31:12-18.
[3] Heb 4:6; 3:19.
[4] Rev 14:13.
[5] Exod 31:16-17.
[6] Luke 6:5.
[7] “So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45, NIV).
[8] Mark 2:27.
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