Soul Rest

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist. I worked as a Hospital Chaplain and a US Army Chaplain. I have seen people at their worst, in their most difficult moments, walked with them in their greatest struggles. One thing I have found is that most people’s souls are not at rest.

Humanity struggles to find peace and quiet of being. We rush here and there hoping the object at the end of our race will bring us what our deepest desire is calling. That inner voice is seeking rest, not just the rest that happens when we are asleep, but soul rest.

We fill our days with activities and pursuits hoping they will satisfy. But as I sit on the end of life’s timeline, these pursuits were never able to fill us. They are the wrong shaped filler for the Jesus shaped hole in us.

Now many people read this section of Matthew, and this verse in particular, and say they have tried this and it failed. I think that is because they think rest means the end of the suffering, struggle, pain, hassle, discomfort…. But that is not the rest offered here.

We are talking about soul rest. This is the peace that sustains when the world is turning upside and you are in the landing zone ready to be crushed. “A peace that passes all understanding will rule your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) Even as the crushing blow comes, there is a peace that can be present. The LORD will see you through.

The yoke helped distribute the load to be carried more efficiently. It made it easier to lift. I could be used to share the load with another animal. The yoke of Jesus adds no burden to the load, but makes carrying the load easier.

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.” Psalm 62:5 It is only in Him that rest can be found. Seek rest there. You will find it in Him.