Finding Peace: Trusting God and Embracing Rest

 

Summary

Psalm 23 offers profound insights into managing stress by cultivating spiritual habits that align with God's design for our lives. The first step in reducing stress is to look to God to meet all our needs. When we rely on others or material things for our security, we set ourselves up for disappointment and stress. Only God can truly fulfill our needs, and by trusting Him, we find peace and contentment. This foundational shift in focus from people to God is an act of worship that refocuses our hearts and minds on His sufficiency.

The second step is to obey God's instructions about rest. In our fast-paced world, we often neglect the Sabbath, a day God designed for rest, recreation, and worship. God modeled rest by taking a day off after creation, not because He was tired, but to show us the importance of rest. Ignoring this commandment can lead to burnout and illness, as our bodies are wired to need rest. Observing the Sabbath allows us to recharge physically, spiritually, and emotionally, ensuring we are at our best.

Resting our bodies, refocusing our spirits through worship, and recharging our emotions through recreation are essential practices for a balanced life. Different activities recharge different people, and finding what restores us is crucial. Whether it's a hobby, sport, or simply enjoying nature, these activities are gifts from God to help us maintain emotional health.

In a world that offers ever-changing solutions to life's challenges, God's Word provides timeless truths that can transform every area of our lives. By aligning our lives with these biblical principles, we can experience true transformation and peace.

### Key Takeaways

- Look to God for All Needs: Trusting God to meet all our needs reduces stress significantly. When we stop expecting others to fulfill what only God can, we find peace and contentment. This shift in focus is an act of worship that refocuses our hearts on God's sufficiency. [14:30]

- Obey God's Rest Instructions: God designed the Sabbath for our benefit, to prevent burnout and ensure we rest. Observing a day of rest each week is crucial for physical, spiritual, and emotional health. Ignoring this commandment can lead to stress and illness. [21:15]

- Rest, Refocus, Recharge: On the Sabbath, we should rest our bodies, refocus our spirits through worship, and recharge our emotions through recreation. These practices help maintain balance and ensure we are at our best. [23:54]

- Timeless Truths Over Worldly Solutions: The world offers temporary solutions to life's challenges, but God's Word provides timeless truths that transform our lives. Aligning with these principles brings true peace and fulfillment. [25:28]

- God's Gifts for Emotional Health: Engaging in activities that restore and energize us is essential for emotional health. Whether it's a hobby, sport, or enjoying nature, these are gifts from God to help us recharge. [24:57]

### YouTube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[13:09] - The Importance of Peace of Mind
[13:42] - Seven Spiritual Habits for Stress Reduction
[14:02] - The First Cause of Stress: Worry
[14:30] - Look to God to Meet All Needs
[15:45] - Security in Christ
[17:10] - Worship as Stress Reduction
[18:28] - Obeying God's Rest Instructions
[19:47] - The Importance of Rest
[20:56] - The Sabbath Commandment
[21:41] - God Makes Us Rest
[22:31] - The Necessity of Sleep
[23:54] - What to Do on the Sabbath
[24:57] - Recharging Emotions
[25:28] - Timeless Truths Over Worldly Solutions

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 23:1-2 - "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."
2. Isaiah 30:15 - "For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.'"
3. Exodus 34:21 - "Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest."

#### Observation Questions
1. According to Psalm 23:1, what does it mean for the Lord to be our shepherd, and how does this relate to having all we need? [15:58]
2. How does Isaiah 30:15 describe the source of strength, and what are the two key components mentioned? [17:27]
3. What does Exodus 34:21 emphasize about the importance of rest, even during busy times? [23:05]
4. In the sermon, what are the three activities suggested for observing the Sabbath? [23:54]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does trusting God to meet all our needs reduce stress, according to the sermon? [14:30]
2. What might be the consequences of ignoring God's commandment to rest, as discussed in the sermon? [22:15]
3. How can the practice of resting, refocusing, and recharging on the Sabbath lead to a balanced life? [24:30]
4. Why does the sermon suggest that worldly solutions are insufficient compared to the timeless truths of God's Word? [25:28]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you relied on others or material things to meet your needs. How did that affect your stress levels, and how might shifting your focus to God change that? [14:47]
2. What specific steps can you take to ensure you observe a day of rest each week, even during your busiest times? [23:23]
3. Identify an activity that recharges you emotionally. How can you incorporate this into your Sabbath routine to maintain emotional health? [24:57]
4. Consider the areas of your life where you seek temporary solutions. How can you begin to align these areas with the timeless truths found in God's Word? [25:28]
5. How can you make the affirmation "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need" a regular part of your life to combat stress? [18:04]
6. What changes can you make in your daily routine to ensure you are getting enough rest and not overworking yourself? [22:31]
7. How can you use worship as a way to refocus your spirit and reduce stress in your life? [24:08]

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God for Our Needs
When we look to God to meet all our needs, we shift our focus from the unreliable sources of security in people and material things to the steadfast sufficiency of God. This act of trust is a form of worship that brings peace and contentment, as it aligns our hearts with God's design for our lives. By relying on God, we avoid the stress and disappointment that come from expecting others to fulfill what only He can provide. This foundational shift is crucial for managing stress and finding true fulfillment. [14:30]

Psalm 62:5-8 (ESV): "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us."

Reflection: What is one specific need you have been looking to others to fulfill? How can you begin to trust God to meet that need today?


Day 2: Embracing the Sabbath Rest
God's instructions about rest are not just suggestions but essential commands for our well-being. In a world that glorifies busyness, observing the Sabbath as a day of rest, recreation, and worship is crucial for preventing burnout and maintaining health. God modeled rest after creation, not out of necessity, but to demonstrate its importance. By honoring the Sabbath, we recharge physically, spiritually, and emotionally, ensuring we are at our best. Ignoring this commandment can lead to stress and illness, as our bodies are designed to need rest. [21:15]

Exodus 31:15-17 (ESV): "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed."

Reflection: How can you intentionally set aside time this week to observe a Sabbath rest? What activities will help you truly rest and recharge?


Day 3: Rest, Refocus, Recharge
The Sabbath is not just about physical rest but also about refocusing our spirits through worship and recharging our emotions through recreation. Different activities restore different people, and finding what energizes us is essential for maintaining balance. Whether it's a hobby, sport, or simply enjoying nature, these activities are gifts from God to help us maintain emotional health. By engaging in these practices, we ensure we are at our best, both for ourselves and for those around us. [23:54]

Isaiah 58:13-14 (ESV): "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Reflection: What specific activities bring you joy and help you recharge emotionally? How can you incorporate these into your Sabbath observance?


Day 4: Timeless Truths Over Worldly Solutions
In a world that offers ever-changing solutions to life's challenges, God's Word provides timeless truths that can transform every area of our lives. By aligning our lives with these biblical principles, we experience true transformation and peace. The world may offer temporary fixes, but God's truths are enduring and bring lasting fulfillment. Embracing these truths requires a commitment to live according to God's design, trusting that His ways are higher and better than our own. [25:28]

Proverbs 3:5-8 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been relying on worldly solutions? How can you begin to seek God's timeless truths in this area?


Day 5: God's Gifts for Emotional Health
Engaging in activities that restore and energize us is essential for emotional health. These activities, whether they are hobbies, sports, or simply enjoying nature, are gifts from God designed to help us recharge. By recognizing and embracing these gifts, we maintain emotional balance and health. It's important to identify what specifically restores us and to make time for these activities regularly. This intentional practice helps us manage stress and live a more fulfilled life. [24:57]

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 (ESV): "I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man."

Reflection: What is one activity that you find particularly restorative? How can you prioritize this activity in your weekly routine to support your emotional health?

Quotes


You worry because you think, well, I have what I need when I need it, and anytime you expect other people to meet your needs instead of God, you're going to be frustrated. You're going to be disappointed, and they're not going to be able to measure up because nobody can meet all your needs. No man, no woman, only God can meet all your needs. [00:14:04]

Stop putting your security in things that you can lose. Sometimes people put their security in their job; they lose their job, they lose their peace of mind. They put their security in their marriage, and then their spouse dies, or they go through the tragedy of a divorce, and then they go, who am I? What is my identity? [00:15:07]

You can lose your job, you can lose your health, you can lose your reputation, you can lose your spouse, you can lose your mind, but you cannot lose your relationship to Christ. And so you put your security in that. You look to God to meet all your needs. [00:15:45]

The first step in stress reduction is worship. I refocus on God. I stop focusing on expecting other people to meet my needs, and I refocus on God. Look at this verse up here on the screen, Isaiah 30:15 says, this The Sovereign Lord says only in returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved. [00:17:10]

So much of the stress in your life comes from always being in a hurry, always working too much, always feeling like you got too much to do. It's why you overwork. You never again get caught up. How many of you feel like I can never get caught up? Let's just have True Confession. [00:18:28]

If God had wanted to, he could have created human beings without the need for sleep. Why did he create you with the need for sleep? You will spend one-third of your life asleep. Now, if God's only going to give you 60, 80, 100 years here on Earth, why wouldn't he give you 100% of the time? [00:19:47]

God rests. God modeled it when he created the whole universe. The Bible says that after he finished all of creation, it says on the seventh day God rested. Now, why did God rest? He wasn't tired. God doesn't ever get tired. He was modeling the importance of rest to your life. [00:20:56]

The Bible's filled with instructions about rest, recreation, and relaxation. In fact, it's so important God put it in the Big 10. It's in the Ten Commandments right up there with don't commit adultery and don't murder and don't lie. He says every seventh day you take a day off. [00:21:41]

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. In other words, God says I created this idea if you take a day off every seven days for rest, recreation, worship, and restoration. He goes, that's my idea. It's for your benefit. It's so you don't burn out. [00:22:31]

What am I supposed to do on my Sabbath? Three things. Write these down. Here's three things you're supposed to do on your Sabbath. Number one, rest my body. You need to rest your body physically. Rest. There's a Biblical basis for a good Sunday afternoon nap right there. [00:23:54]

I rest my body on the Sabbath, and I refocus my spirit. And what is that? That's worship. It's what you're doing right now. You are refocusing your spirit right now by coming to worship, and in corporate worship, we recharge and refresh our spirit. [00:24:57]

The world has ever-changing so-called answers to your relationship struggles, solutions to your financial troubles, and explanations to your search for meaning. But what the world offers often leaves us empty and searching for more. The good news is God's word contains timeless truths that can transform every area of your life. [00:25:28]

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Transcript
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