The author of a fascinating recent Wall Street Journal book review of A History of Rest observed:

“‘Weary with toil, I hast me to my bed,’ begins a sonnet of Shakespeare’s, soon pausing to note: ‘But then begins a journey in my head.’

“Or as Pascal put it a few decades later, a bit more pointedly: ‘Man finds nothing so intolerable as to be in a state of complete rest,’ where he ‘faces his nullity, loneliness, inadequacy, dependence, helplessness, emptiness.’ 

“Rest is not the same thing as peace of mind. We are, paradoxically, often most restless when we are at rest.”

Is it any wonder why modern man cannot survive without the ceaseless “bling, bangs and booms” of what passes for entertainment?

Alas, such things are but a momentary distraction from the noise in our heads.

‘Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda’

If we dare cast our minds backward in time, we are confronted by that familiar scraggly finger pointing to the endless “woulda, coulda, shouldas” of our lives.

If we look forward in time, that familiar faceless figure appears and reminds us of the endless parade of unknowns we face, the things unplanned for, and the inevitable consequences we must reap from past “errors and omissions.”

The past is not our friend, the future is no picnic either.

That leaves us with only the present to live with — and that’s exactly where God wants us, as noted in Matthew 6:25; 34:

“… For this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life … do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Easier said than done. That is why we need the Holy Spirit to reveal the vast invisible heavenly realms that are arrayed on the side of those who love Christ.

From Isaiah 41:10: “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

A Firm Resting Place

Contrary to the opinions of for-profit self-help gurus, rest and peace are not found “within ourselves” — all we find there is darkness and confusion.

Instead, we must look outside ourselves, to something or Someone that doesn’t move, nor ever will. 

Robert Murray McCheyne wrote, “Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely.  Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all for sinners, even the chief! Live much in the smiles of God. Bask in His beams. Feel His all-seeing. Eye settled on you in love, and repose in His almighty arms.”

The writer of the Book of Hebrews reminds us in Hebrews 4:1-13:

“For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God’s goal for us, we need to be careful that we’re not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we’ll experience that state of resting …

“… The promise of ‘arrival’ and ‘rest’ is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey, we’ll surely rest with God. So, let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience … So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.”

These are conditional promises that must be met by faith in the hearer.

How do we know we “get it?” Simple. We rest in Christ so completely that “the things of earth (begin to) grow strangely dim …”

The late Believer’s Bible Commentary author Bill MacDonald wrote, “‘There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.’ Here the writer uses a different Greek word for rest (sabbatismos), which is related to the word Sabbath. It refers to the eternal rest which will be enjoyed by all who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. It is a ‘Sabbath’ keeping that will never end. Whoever enters God’s rest enters a cessation from labor, just as God did on the seventh day (of creation). Before we were saved, we may have tried to work for our salvation. When we realized that Christ had finished the work at Calvary, we abandoned our own worthless efforts and trusted the risen Redeemer.”

A New Year’s Resolution for You

Internalizing these precious truths will silence the noise in your head and provide an immutable foundation for lasting peace in your weary heart, regardless of your circumstances.

Do you believe this? Then “receive the promises with faith” and rest.