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Are you exhausted?

Not just physically tired.

Soul tired.

Maybe your schedule never slows down.

Your mind keeps racing long after your head hits the pillow.

You feel like you’re constantly trying to catch up, but life keeps moving faster than you can run.

We often think rest looks like:

✔ A Netflix binge

✔ A weekend away

✔ Sleeping in

✔ A bubble bath and a good book

While those things may refresh our bodies for a little while, they can’t give rest to our souls.

That’s because the Bible doesn’t promise rest from trouble.

It promises rest in the middle of it.

Psalm 91 reminds us that true rest isn’t found by escaping life’s storms, but by learning to dwell in the presence of God.

Here’s what Scripture teaches about finding the kind of rest that lasts.

3 Ways to Find Rest When Life Feels Overwhelming

True, lasting rest – this kind of rest that enables us to walk through trouble with peace and joy – is a rest that only Jesus Christ can give!

Rest that doesn’t include Jesus Christ doesn’t touch your soul.

If we want deep, lasting soul rest, Scripture points us to three truths we must learn from Psalm 91.

1. Rest is found in Jesus Christ

The first place Scripture tells us to look for rest is Jesus Himself.

Psalm 91 begins,

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High…”

The “secret place” speaks of protection, while His “shadow” pictures His defense over our lives.

God is our security and our comfort. And when we’re secure and comforted, we are not anxious – we are able to relax and rest knowing that we’re protected and cared for.

But to have that rest and security, we must first learn how to dwell in the secret place of the Most High. David said that when we do, then we abide under the shadow (defense) of the Almighty.

Jesus said, in Matthew 11:28-29, “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.”

Soul rest.

When your soul finds rest, your whole life begins to change.

Your body can rest.

Your mind can rest.

Your spirit can rest.

You won’t find soul rest in a Netflix binge, on vacation, in a perfectly clean house, at the spa, in a bubble bath, or at the bottom of a glass of wine.

Those things may refresh your body.

Only Jesus can give rest to your soul.

Jesus said these things:

• Come to me
• Take my yoke up on you
• Learn from Me

When we do these three things, we will find rest, we will realize how gentle and humble He is, we will discover that His burden is light.

2. Rest is discovering that we will never be enough.

Here’s a difficult truth we all need to accept:

We will never be enough.

On our own, we’re all a hot mess.

Our best efforts can never save us.

Even our good works are stained by selfish motives.

God never intended for us to be enough.

He intended for Christ to be enough.

“I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.'” Psalm 91:2

All throughout Psalm 91 we see that God is the one who gives us rest, not our own ability to create the right environment, the right conditions, the right kind of order and atmosphere. 

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

Paul says that we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, and then he gives us the key.

It is God – He is the One who produces in us the desire and the ability to carry out this work of our salvation so that we live a life pleasing to God.

Salvation is a gift – we can’t earn it, we don’t deserve it.

The Holy Spirit is a gift; we don’t earn Him or deserve Him.

Living out this Christian life is impossible without grace – we don’t earn it, we don’t deserve it.

It is time we stop trying so hard to live this Christian life out in our own strength, but rest in the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts.

3. Rest is faith and trust in God’s truth.

David said, “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.” Psalm 91:4

In Hebrews 1-4, the writer talked about entering into God’s rest. Those who didn’t enter into His rest were those who lived in willful unbelief and rebellion to God’s Word.

We see that faith and trust in God’s truth bring rest.

Our culture tells us that truth changes with the times. Scripture tells us the exact opposite.

Truth by its very nature must be firm, solid, and constant. It must be unwavering and unchanging, for if it isn’t, then it’s simply not truth.

Scripture clearly supports the fact that truth is eternally established when we follow this sequence of verses.

Scripture paints a beautiful picture:

Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6).

Jesus is the Word (John 1:1).

God’s Word is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89).

God never changes (Malachi 3:6).

Because He never changes, His promises never change.

And when we do, we are protected. “His truth shall be your shield and buckler”.

Ephesians 6 also tells us that truth is the belt in our armor. The belt is what held all of the Roman armor together and in place.

When we accept that God’s Word is absolute, that it is truth – it is truth from eternity past and for all eternity is unchanging, and when we accept It as the final authority for our life as our protection and armor, we can rest.

We can rest in its finality.

We can rest in its authority and unchangeableness.

This is the kind of rest Psalm 91 promises—not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God in the middle of it.

My dear friend, if you’re weary today, stop trying to manufacture rest.

Slow down.

Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Open His Word.

Let Him remind you that you don’t have to carry everything yourself.

The rest your soul longs for isn’t found in getting away from your circumstances.

It’s found in drawing near to Christ in the middle of them.

He is your refuge.

He is your strength.

And He alone can give your soul the rest it’s been searching for.

If fear and anxiety are making it difficult for you to experience this kind of rest, I’ve created a free printable with 10 powerful Bible verses to help you anchor your heart in God’s promises.

Download your free printable by clicking the image below.

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