Lord Give Us Rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 

  

  I had just come through one of my worst times of asthma and allergy problems. Throughout much of the allergy season I was taking antibiotics and Prednisone so I could breathe. As the cold weather arrived, my allergy and asthma nightmare ended. But then my back began to hurt and give me trouble. 

  I prayed to the Lord for both healing and a season of rest. I needed a season of rest. Within, I felt the Lord impress upon me that my back problem would soon be gone. Nevertheless, I said to the Lord: “Can’t I have a season free of problems? Some time without additional issues?” 

  It seems we get very little rest on this earth. If a calamity is not affecting us, it is affecting our friends or family. Though we have many blessings, and God is good to us in more ways than we can count, trials often arrive one after another. 

  When we are hurting, suffering, or facing a new trial, we feel frustrated and discouraged. We can lose sight of the multitude of blessings God gives us when instead we are focused on the thorns and difficulties in our lives. Often, we must take a step back, take our eyes off of our troubles, and remember how often God has blessed us. God helps us through many things throughout our lives. Recalling this fact can help put our present afflictions into perspective. 

  As new problems arise, try to recall old blessings, and cumulative blessings God has poured into your life. The present pain gets our attention, but often such things come and go. Yet God’s ever-present help continues. His strength is everlasting, and our position with Him is unchanging. We are the blessed children of God no matter what trials come into our lives. The Lord gives us peace and rest now, and everlasting peace and rest in the world to come. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, life frustrates us with its trials and afflictions. Give us strength, peace, and rest, we pray. Amen.